England's World Cup Start: Win Over Croatia and Injury Concerns

England exhaled. Loudly.

A 4-2 win over Croatia to open a World Cup campaign should have been the perfect launch, the kind of statement victory that settles a nation. Instead, as the final whistle blew in Texas, all eyes were fixed not on the scoreline, but on the strapping around Harry Kane’s left leg and the sight of Declan Rice heading off early.

For a few hours, the mood around England swung from euphoria to unease.

Scare in Texas, Relief in Kansas City

Rice had been withdrawn on 72 minutes, replaced by Morgan Rogers after clearly feeling some discomfort. Kane, who had struck twice to dismantle Croatia, finished the game but was later seen with heavy bandaging on his left leg. For a country conditioned to fear the worst when it comes to tournament injuries, the images were enough to trigger alarm.

The medical verdict has calmed the storm.

England’s staff have cleared both Kane and Rice to feature against Ghana, diagnosing the captain’s problem as cramp management rather than anything more sinister. Rice’s substitution, too, has been classified as precautionary rather than problematic.

Thomas Tuchel explained that Rice had reported discomfort during the game, prompting an early change with England already in control.

“Declan pointed to his lower back, upper hamstring and feels some discomfort,” Tuchel said afterwards. “I didn’t want to take any risks. It was a moment to protect him. Declan reassured me at the end it’s good. It’s nothing big to worry about.”

For England, that assessment is almost as valuable as the three points banked in Texas.

Kane and Rice: The Spine Holds

Kane remains the reference point of Tuchel’s attack, the player around whom everything in the final third is built. Two goals against Croatia underlined that nothing has changed: when England need a finish, they look for their captain.

Losing him, even briefly, would have ripped a hole through Tuchel’s plans. Instead, the message is clear — he is fit to lead the line again against Ghana, the focal point of a front line that already looks sharp.

Rice, meanwhile, was quietly outstanding before his number went up. The Arsenal midfielder dictated the tempo, patrolled the spaces in front of the back four and, crucially, delivered the corner that Kane turned in for his second goal. It was a reminder of how integral he has become to England’s structure, both with and without the ball.

Keeping both men available preserves the core of Tuchel’s side. The spine stays intact, the patterns of play remain familiar, and the manager avoids the kind of enforced reshuffle that can derail momentum at a major tournament.

New City, New Test

England have now shifted base to Kansas City, where preparations for Tuesday’s meeting with Ghana are underway. Kane and Rice are expected to train fully, a sight that will go a long way to steadying any lingering nerves among the travelling support.

Ghana will not mirror Croatia. They will bring different problems: more direct running, more physical duels, a different rhythm to the game. But England arrive with a convincing win behind them, goals on the board and, crucially, their leaders on the pitch rather than in the treatment room.

Tuchel has his foundation. Kane up front, Rice at the heart of midfield, the same spine that delivered in Texas ready to go again in Group L.

Now the question is no longer “Are they fit?”

It’s how far this England team can go with them both on the pitch.