Dalić: 'This Was a Tough Defeat'

Croatia opened its 2026 World Cup campaign with a 4-2 defeat to England in Dallas in the first round of Group L.

After the match, Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić admitted his side struggled, particularly after the break.

"This was a tough defeat. We played the second half poorly, especially the opening period. England scored twice from set pieces in the first half — first from a penalty and then from a corner. We were competitive, but there were things we didn't do well. After conceding a third goal early in the second half, it became very difficult to get back into the match," Dalić said.

The Croatia coach also pointed to defensive lapses as a key factor in the loss.

"I can't say much more about the goals right now. There was a long ball, we didn't react well enough and failed to close the space. We were poorly coordinated," he added.

England manager Thomas Tuchel praised his team's response after a first half in which Croatia twice fought back to level the score.

"I loved the reaction of the players in the second half. It was emotional, there were a lot of emotions involved. It took us a while to get going," Tuchel said.

England's victory puts them in a strong early position in Group L, while Croatia will look to bounce back in its next match as it seeks a place in the knockout stage.