Top News

England captain Harry Kane has already struck fear into his rivals even before the first whistle of the World Cup, with Croatia defender Duje Caleta-Car describing him as a ‘master of the game’ ahead of their opening group clash.

Caleta-Car spoke highly of the Three Lions skipper, acknowledging that Kane’s intelligence and movement make him one of the toughest opponents to contain in world football.

Kane heads into the tournament following an extraordinary individual season with Bayern Munich, where he scored an astonishing 61 goals in just 51 appearances. His prolific form has not gone unnoticed, particularly by Croatia’s defence, which is preparing to handle the 32-year-old’s cutting edge as Thomas Tuchel leads England into their Group L opener in Dallas.

Reflecting on previous encounters, Caleta-Car admitted he was taken aback by Kane’s all-round play, even in matches where the striker did not score. “Kane impressed me in our match against England at the European Championship, even though he didn’t score,” Caleta-Car said. “His movement and positioning – you can clearly see he’s a master of the game and knows exactly what he’s doing.”

Despite Kane’s exceptional personal record – including 79 goals in 114 appearances for England, making him the nation’s all-time leading scorer – his international career has been marked by heartbreak. He has endured consecutive European Championship final defeats to Italy and Spain, as well as the agonising 2018 World Cup semi-final loss to Croatia, who stand opposite him once again this week.

Nevertheless, Kane seems to have adapted quickly to life in the United States, recently netting the winner in a friendly against New Zealand. However, his preparation has not been entirely smooth, as reports surfaced that his custom football boots were stolen from a team vehicle upon England’s arrival in Kansas City.

Meanwhile, Croatia, who finished third at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, are well aware of the challenge that awaits them in Texas. The experienced defender Caleta-Car, formerly of Southampton, emphasised the importance of teamwork and maintaining defensive discipline to keep Kane quiet. “The most important thing is that we translate everything we’ve worked on during our preparations onto the pitch and try to execute all of the coach’s ideas,” he said. “The team is ready, and we’re facing a difficult match. We must not give them too much space because they have quality individuals who can decide a game with a single move. But we’re ready and looking forward to the first match.”

England and Croatia share a fierce competitive history at major tournaments. The Vatreni shattered England’s dreams in Russia six years ago, but the Three Lions avenged that defeat with a 1-0 victory at Wembley during the Euro 2020 group stage. This latest chapter in Dallas promises to set the tone for Group L, which also includes Ghana and Panama.

Zlatko Dalic’s side, renowned for their resilience and technical prowess in midfield, will need every ounce of experience to contain an England attack spearheaded by Kane and revitalised under Tuchel’s management.