Joe Hart
Former England goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

Thomas Tuchel has said England’s identity on the pitch won’t be shaken by conditions they are playing in, and Joe Hart told BBC Radio 5 Live that the Three Lions boss has been "smart" with his squad planning.

"Ideally, we want to see them play flowing football and play people off the park that culminates in Harry Kane scoring a hattrick every single game," said Hart.

"Thomas Tuchel knows full well they're going to have to scrap, to fight tooth and nail.

"I think Thomas Tuchel has been really smart, he's got a worst case scenario on that pitch where he thinks England can win.

"When they're at their worst, he still thinks they can win.

"If you flip that and everyone does find their form, and England play well, they can smash the majority and can beat the very good.

"He’s got brilliant a worst case scenario, dogging out a 1-0 or a scrappy 2-1, but he's also got best case scenario of everyone finding form and blowing people out the water."

Don't forget you can listen along to live commentary of England v Croatia on BBC Radio 5 Live this evening.

Right, that's the dreaded 'Will England win the World Cup?' question out of the way.

It is now only a matter of hours until England take to the pitch for their World Cup opener against Croatia. What's on your mind?

Send your burning questions to Phil by clicking that big yellow button that says 'Get Involved' and we'll get to as many as we can.

Cheers!

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Dallas Stadium

Image source, Getty Images

Susan: England can pull this off. No more club rivalries as seen in the past. Tuchel was right to leave out Foden. Putting the best team together isn't the same as selecting the most talented players and hoping they can play well together, a mistake made by previous England managers.

This is Tuchel’s strategy. Best team not necessarily best players.

If we are looking for a reference point (from a long time ago admittedly) Sir Alf Ramsey said exactly the same thing while planning for the 1966 World Cup win.

And to use a phrase Thomas Tuchel likes, “proof of concept” will come with results. Always the only real measure.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Dallas Stadium

Image source, Getty Images

Alex: With the firepower up front, including a front-runner for the Ballon d’Or in Kane, goals are likely, but how do you rate us defensively?

My biggest area of concern, Alex. Goalkeeper, midfield and further forward in the pitch all looks good to me, but my worry is that John Stones and Reece James have had injuries recently.

I think the defence will be well protected by Declan Rice and Elliott Anderson but just have that nagging worry about the defence. Let’s hope I’m wrong.

Pickford; James, Konsa, Guehi, O'Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane.

This is the eleven Paul Robinson has picked, opting for Konsa instead of Stones and Gordon out wide.

"I think Jude Bellingham has shown in the past two warm-up games why he should start for England. It is so close between him and Morgan Rogers," said Robinson

"I fully expect John Stones to play, but I would actually go with Ezri Konsa and Marc Guehi at the back, but so many of the others pick themselves."

Image source, BBC Sport

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Dallas Stadium

Image source, BBC Sport

Jeuel: There are rumours that Guehi is not going to start tonight despite being England's best centre back. What could be the thinking behind this?

Hi, Jeuel. My colleague Sami Mokbel has reported that this is likely to be the case. I believe, if this is the pick, that it is because Tuchel prefers the arguably more physical, powerful style of Ezri Konsa to Marc Guehi. My view?

I would play Guehi alongside John Stones and believe he would be incredibly unlucky to be left out.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Dallas Stadium

Dave: Is this a game where England score early and allow fans to breathe a bit, or are we expecting 87 minutes of emotional damage first?

I wish I could answer you with certainty, Dave, but I can't. I was at the press conference with Thomas Tuchel and Harry Kane last night.

Both were in quietly confident mood. We know from past history just how important the first game in any major tournament is, so England will be desperate to get off to winning start.Words of warning though - never, ever under-estimate Croatia, especially not against England.

One of the many thousands who have decamped to Dallas is BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty.

He has been waiting patiently for his chance to answer your questions.

Over to you Phil...

England

It's always important to remember that every England player would more than likely be cheering England on, if they weren't playing in the matches....

Both players and fans have been waiting patiently for this evening's opener, but that waiting is almost over.

Tonight, just before 21:00 BST, six days after the tournament began, the Three Lions will walk out at the Dallas Stadium for their opener against Croatia.

It is difficult to predict how many England fans will turn up, draping the St George's Cross around the stands.

The official England Supporters' Travel Club (ESTC) has sold its allocation of 4,022 tickets. Controversially, a few appear to be listed on Fifa's resale site at inflated prices.

The number of fans who travel independently and the ex-pats is really an unknown.

The United Kingdom Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) told BBC Sport that between 12,000 and 15,000 England fans are expected at each group stage game.

The UKFPU added that 89,000 World Cup tickets have been purchased by fans from England.

That covers all 104 matches and there is no individual breakdown, while most fans will attend more than one fixture.

But that number does not include the supporters who have headed out to the United States without securing tickets.

Germany in 2006 was the high point, with the UKFPU estimating that 350,000 people made the short trip to watch games in stadia but mostly at fan parks.

Only 4,000 are thought to have visited Qatar four years ago, while 20,000 to 30,000 is a more usual figure.

England

Real Madrid and England star Jude Bellingham has told BBC Sport what it feels like to represent his country at the World Cup:

"I think I'd say the anthem is the last chance you get to really be mindful of the people who have got you there and what it means to be from England," said Bellingham.

"I think about my grandad who passed away just before my England debut, he was so patriotic.

"He was an Englishman through and through, could give you every fact about every war, about every battle, about every king, every queen.

"I do think about my grandad when that moment's coming. But I also think about the rest of my family, the sacrifices they've made to get me to this stage.

"My mum, my dad, my brother, Jobe, being a constant crutch for me."

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Many fans have been in Dallas soaking up the atmosphere for a few days.

The general feeling is that travelling to the World Cup in the United States would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But the cost is still weighing heavy.

The price of tickets for the 2026 World Cup has been controversial since the outset, with one England fan calling it a "betrayal" when they went on sale to members of the England Supporters' Travel Club in December.

In Qatar, group stage fixtures had all set prices of £68.50, £164.50 and £219.

But for England's match against Croatia on Wednesday, tickets went on sale for £198, £373 or £523.

"There's eight of us that are all together and we paid about £850 for a ticket each," Michael said as they sat outside a bar.

"That is a lot of money, you can get a season ticket for that."

Their group may have been bigger, but the cost of flights, accommodation and tickets put several people off.

"I hear stories about the stadiums and it's $20 a beer, and food is more than $30," he added.

"It does feel like you are getting gouged. But it's the World Cup.

"I just hope when it comes to 2030 we come back to normality, and things are a bit more sensible."

Read more about the cost for England fans here.

Sure the England team would say "right back at you June". Everyone on the team here wish you all the best on your recovery...

England

While Thomas Tuchel is going to his first major tournament as an international manager, England captain Harry Kane has been here before and is excited by the opportunities by the Three Lions' chances:

"There's a great mix of experience, reaching finals, international finals, also club finals, big matches. So, for sure, we can lean on that experience to help us," Kane told BBC Sport.

"Of course, we've got some great young players. Players who are playing in their first World Cup.

"For sure, it's one of the best opportunities we will have as a team to win it."

Image source, Getty Images

England

So England manager Thomas Tuchel may feel that some of his players need more fine-tuning, but he seems confident in those "14 or 15" he has pegged as starters.

Tuchel spoke to BBC Sport about whether it was his job to temper expectations or to talk them up:

"Neither. We were very clear about what we expect from ourselves - to compete at the highest level. The focus at the moment is on the group stage. Not further. Not get distracted.

"The group starts with a very difficult match, a strong opponent. This is where the focus is, we know what we expect from ourselves, what we want to do. We feel that they are ready to go."

Image source, Getty Images

England

England are in talks over a behind-closed-doors game against Major League Soccer side Sporting Kansas City after the World Cup opener against Croatia.

Any friendly is likely to be played between Wednesday's fixture against Croatia in Dallas (21:00 BST) and England's second group game versus Ghana next Tuesday (21:00 BST).

It is understood that talks over the training match are under way, but sources close to the Football Association say any details or opposition are still to be confirmed.

England have already played one behind-closed-doors game in the USA, against Miami FC during their pre-tournament camp in Florida.

If another friendly goes ahead, it is likely to be used to build match fitness for the players who do not play significant minutes against Croatia.

John Murray
BBC football correspondent on Football Daily

Image source, Getty Images

I sensed a little bit of an edge [in Thomas Tuchel at a news conference yesterday] compared to the other experiences I've had with him over the last 18 months. And I can understand that because this is where it really begins for him in earnest, because that's what he's employed to do - to win the World Cup for England.

It's very real now. There was also a tinge of disappointment having lost Tino Livramento so that was probably eating away somewhere in there.

But also he was talking about thinking about when he was a youngster, coming to the World Cup as a coach. The suggestion was that was a million miles away from him, when he was a boy, to think he would come to the World Cup.

There's an edge of excitement actually, as much as anything else, about the fact that he will be involved in the World Cup for the first time.

Matt Jones
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

This will be England’s first major tournament without Sir Gareth Southgate at the helm in eight years. So, stylistically, what can we expect from his successor?

The hope is that Thomas Tuchel will be able to add a different tactical dimension to the way England play. The indications are that, although there is no major tournament data available for the German yet, we could see a more controlled approach.

In the 14 games under Tuchel, England have averaged significantly more possession than they did throughout Southgate’s tenure.

They have had a whopping 71% of the ball on average under the German, and while more technically proficient teams may await later in the tournament, taking extra care in possession could prove crucial for England players with tired legs in challenging conditions.

With more of the ball, England are understandably completing more passes on average than they did under Southgate and are also getting more touches in the opposition box.

They have also shown greater aggression out of possession since Tuchel took charge. High turnovers per game have risen to an average of 12.2 under Tuchel, compared with 8.1 under Southgate.

For Tuchel, maintaining these numbers at a major tournament will be a test and against higher quality opposition, a dip should be anticipated. Under Southgate, the team’s averages for possession, shots, passing and high turnovers all declined across the 26 games he managed at World Cups and European Championships.

England

England manager Thomas Tuchel, talking to BBC Sport about why he decided to call up Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah in place of the injured Tino Livramento:

"Tino was of course very disappointed and very sad. All of us were," said Tuchel.

"It was kind of a shock in training and when he stopped training and he had the feeling that this could be an injury that costs him the tournament and he was unfortunately right.

"We called Trevoh Chalobah because we then free up Jarell Quansah as a full-back on both sides and Djed Spence can be a full-back on both sides.

"Trevoh comes as a centre-back alternative and gives us full coverage in the back four."

Image source, Getty Images