FROM PAGE 1
each time, refusing to let England pull away, before Bellingham restored England’s lead for a third time in the 47th minute and Rashford sealed victory with an 85th-minute strike.
Instead of prioritising control over imagination -- a trait that often saw previous England teams look as though a straightjacket had been placed on them -- Tuchel backed up his positive philosophy with bold actions.
The clearest indication of this shift came after 72 minutes. Holding a narrow 3-2 lead, there were no notes of caution as the attack-minded Morgan Rogers replaced the defensively inclined Declan Rice, Marcus Rashford came on for Anthony Gordon, and Bukayo Saka replaced Noni Madueke.
Every single change was deliberately designed to extend the advantage rather than simply protect it, a stark contrast to the conservative, mid-block containment strategies that supporters grew accustomed to under the preceding manager, Sir Gareth Southgate. Under Southgate, someone like Jordan Henderson would have been likely introduced.
“When we sat there watching the game and I saw the three lads coming on -- Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Morgan Rogers -- I said, ‘I absolutely love these subs’,” former England striker Wayne Rooney said while working as a BBC Sport pundit.
“I loved how positive Thomas Tuchel was because if you sit back and wait for Croatia to come on then it gets nervy. It’s brave and shows he’s trying to win the game. Then Djed Spence came on and all four were involved in that goal. I think it’s brilliant.”
It was not all smooth sailing for Tuchel’s side. At times, particularly in the first half, England surrendered possession too cheaply, looked hesitant and indecisive, and struggled to coordinate an ambitious press.
The second half was a different story. England rotated with greater assurance, particularly down the right flank where they repeatedly sought to release Madueke into space. One such move led directly to Bellingham’s goal, while another intelligent overload on the same side eventually freed Rashford on the opposite flank for England’s fourth.
Most encouraging was England’s willingness to adapt. They adjusted as the game progressed rather than remaining rigid.
Tuchel’s personnel choices also made sense. Madueke and Gordon provide direct running beyond the deep-dropping Kane, Saka offers poise and combination play, while Rashford adds technical quality to pace and power. Tuchel has different tools for different problems.
Another notable aspect of England’s display was their use of set-pieces, borrowing heavily from Arsenal’s playbook. Rice, one of Arsenal’s primary dead-ball specialists, delivered several dangerous balls into the area as England repeatedly created chaos inside Croatia’s box.
Madueke won a penalty from a resulting corner, Kane scored his second from another set-piece situation, and Nico O’Reilly could easily have found the net twice from similar deliveries.
There remain questions at the other end. Tuchel raised eyebrows by pairing John Stones with Ezri Konsa ahead of Marc Guehi, while Reece James’ failure to track his runner for Croatia’s second goal suggested there is still considerable work to do defensively.
England have already accomplished what fellow contenders Spain, Brazil, and Portugal failed to do: win their opening match.
Although hesitant early on, England showed they possess the tactical flexibility, danger, and the bravery required to go all the way. For a team carrying heavy expectations, this emphatic opening step serves as an ominous warning to the rest.