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Harry Kane has revealed that Thomas Tuchel’s motivational half-time talk was the key factor behind England’s impressive 4-2 triumph over Croatia in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup. Following a tense and evenly contested first half, the Three Lions came out revitalised after the break, delivering a dominant performance that the Bayern Munich forward credited to his manager’s stirring message.

England began their World Cup campaign strongly, overturning a nervy first-half display to secure an emphatic win. The first 45 minutes saw Croatia twice cancel out England’s lead, keeping the contest finely balanced heading into half-time.

Kane equalled Gary Lineker’s record for England World Cup goals with a penalty and a clinical header from Declan Rice’s corner, but both sides went into the break level. After the restart, Jude Bellingham restored England’s advantage, and substitute Marcus Rashford sealed the victory with a fourth goal, completing a convincing 4-2 result.

Speaking after the match, Kane explained how Tuchel’s words in the dressing room changed the team’s mindset. The England captain said the manager encouraged the players to shake off their nerves and express themselves freely in the second half.

“He told us to take the shackles off, calm down and let’s go. He said what’s the worst that can happen? Show the world who we can be,” Kane shared after the final whistle.

“We came out in the second half full gas and they couldn’t live with it. That’s the standard we have to maintain in every match. Once we took the lead, we controlled the game and never looked in danger. We could have scored three or four during that spell. Credit to everyone – it’s the first game of the tournament and a huge result against a tough opponent.”

Jude Bellingham echoed Kane’s sentiments, describing the team atmosphere under Tuchel as calm and composed rather than dramatic. He explained that the team didn’t need any theatrics at half-time, only focus and leadership.

He said: “It wasn’t one of those where it was a big drama or people shouting; it was exactly what the team needed. We’ve got a mature group with strong leaders, and everyone knew the level we had to reach. The way we started the second half gave us the perfect platform.”

With this victory, England top Group L with three points. Up next, Kane and his teammates will face Ghana at Boston Stadium on June 23, with the captain expected once again to spearhead the Three Lions’ attack as they aim to build on their winning start.

The question now is – how far can England go in this World Cup?