England vs. Croatia Predictions

• When: Wednesday, June 17, 9:00 PM CET
• Where: Dallas Stadium, Arlington, TX, USA

England and Croatia know one another very well. These two nations have met frequently in the past and already have some sort of rivalry. While Thomas Tuchel’s era begins under maximum pressure, Croatia’s veteran core looks to prove yet again that their tournament DNA can lead them deep into the knockout stage. This is one of the derbies in the opening round, and one of the most interesting matches of the entire group stage.

England vs. Croatia Preview

England

The Three Lions enter the tournament carrying massive expectations, just like every time before in the past. Tuchel is under pressure because of his squad, as he left some big names, including former captain Harry Maguire. So the Germany does not have any margin for error here.

England’s biggest weapon is a rock-solid defense. This team has posted 8 clean sheets in the last 10 matches. Also, their games are highly inefficient, with the previous five ending with under 2.5 goals.

The Three Lions didn’t shine much in the preparation period, playing to a 1-1 draw against Uruguay, losing 0-1 to Japan, and posting a narrow 1-0 win over New Zealand.

Croatia

Despite constant talk of generational transition, Croatia’s squad remains one of the most respected, battle-tested tournament nations in football. They aren’t fazed by big names or heavy favorites because they faced and beat all of them.

Croatia’s strength lies entirely in its world-class midfield. Modric and the guys know how to control and guide the game flow like no other team in the world. Also, this unit is highly adaptable and can adjust to any rival in a matter of minutes.

Though we have to say that lately their matches have been highly efficient. To be precise, 7 of the last 9 have ended with over 2.5 goals. But overall, that doesn’t have to mean anything, because Croatia plays differently when big tournaments start.

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England and Croatia Possible Lineups

England: Pickford; James, Stones, Guehi, O’Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane

Croatia: Livakovic; Sutalo, Vuskovic, Gvardiol; Stanisic, Modric, Kovacic, Perisic; Vlasic, Baturina; Budimir

England vs Croatia Head to Head

We’ve mentioned that these teams have a rich history of playing against one another. Croatia famously eliminated the Three Lions after a 2-1 extra-time win in the 2018 World Cup semifinals. England got a small revenge at Euro 2020 with a 1-0 group-stage win at Wembley. Since 2003, they have met 10 times, with England triumphing in 6 encounters, Croatia in 3, and one game ending in a draw.

England vs. Croatia Predictions

Tuchel is a defensive-minded coach, and he won’t attack. Croatia has enough experience, and they too won’t open up and try to press their rivals. This will be a waiting game between two very cautious units, which is why we pick under 2.5 goals.

Our verdict: Under 2.5 goals

England vs. Croatia Odds

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