England defeated Croatia 4-2 in Group L on June 17, securing their first World Cup win against a top-15 FIFA-ranked team since a 1-0 victory over Argentina in 2002. Croatia is ranked 11th in the FIFA global rankings. England had gone 9 consecutive World Cup matches without defeating an opponent ranked in the top 15 before this victory.
Harry Kane scored twice in the match, with England's attacking quality proving decisive against the Croatians. The victory represented the first time in nearly 24 years that England had won against a top-15 ranked opponent at the World Cup.
England will face Ghana on June 23 and Panama on June 28 in their remaining Group L fixtures. Croatia will play Panama on June 24 and Ghana on June 28.
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