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  "path": "/2026/06/18/ian-wright-makes-england-world-cup-claim-croatia-win-28822323/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-17T23:31:04.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "Football",
    "Sport",
    "Croatia football team",
    "England men's football team",
    "Harry Kane",
    "Ian Wright",
    "Jude Bellingham",
    "Thomas Tuchel",
    "World Cup",
    "Marcus Rashford",
    "Sign up here",
    "Gary Lineker",
    "ITV",
    "England team",
    "check our sport page",
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    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source"
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  "textContent": "Ian Wright after England’s World Cup opener (Picture: ITV)\n\nIan Wright believes England need two players to ‘step up’ and ‘deliver’ to stand any chance of winning the World Cup.\n\nThomas Tuchel’s side made a positive start to their World Cup campaign, beating Croatia 4-2 in their opening group game on Wednesday night.\n\nCroatia have proved to be tricky customers for the Three Lions previously but the 2018 runners-up and 2022 semi-finalists could not cope with England’s attacking potency.\n\nHarry Kane scored a first-half brave before Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford were on target in the second half as England took control of Group L and made an ideal start to their World Cup campaign.\n\n##  Don't miss anything from the World Cup\n\nStill got it (Picture: MB Media/Getty Images)\n\n\nA Lionel Messi hattrick. A Kylian Mbappe screamer. Erling Haaland's first World Cup goals. We've got it all in today's World Cup newsletter. Oh, and we're looking ahead to England's crucial opener against Croatia.\n\nSign up here.\n\nTuchel is hoping to guide England to their first World Cup trophy since 1966 and Wright believes he is reliant on Kane and Bellingham having strong tournaments.\n\nKane, already England’s top goalscorer, equalled Gary Lineker as the nation’s leading goalscorer at World Cups during the win over Croatia, while Bellingham underlined his importance to the side with another influential performance in midfield.\n\nAsked whether it was ‘self-evident’ that England would only go far in this World Cup if Kane and Bellingham continue to impress, Wright said on ITV: ‘I think it is, yeah.\n\nHarry Kane and Jude Bellingham celebrating England’s win (Picture: Getty)\n\n‘What we saw tonight is they both stepped up and I’m sure when the games get tougher they will do that again.\n\n‘We’ve got to make sure we are funnelling it into those two because they will deliver, they both will deliver.\n\n‘It’s been a long time since I watched an England team going forward with as much gusto as we saw from them tonight. It was brilliant.\n\n‘Croatia weren’t as good as we thought they might be given their experience but we beat them quite comfortably which was really promising.’\n\n**_More to follow…_**\n\n**For more stories like this, check our sport page**.\n\n**Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on**Facebook,** Twitter and Instagram**.\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "Ian Wright makes England World Cup claim after Croatia win"
}