England

So England are up and running at this World Cup with a confident opening win against Croatia.

But there’s a long road ahead and sterner tests are surely to come. Ghana are up next on Tuesday, 23 June (21:00 BST), and they will offer a very different kind of challenge.

And Thomas Tuchel will have some big calls to make - especially at the back and on that left flank perhaps?

Conor Coady
Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

The conversation has come around Jude Bellingham because of the height he has set himself. He can create moments at the flip of a coin.

The reason we all talk about him is because he's that good. I think Harry Kane is on his own level and Jude Bellingham is well on his way.

Paul Robinson
Former England goalkeeper on BBC Football Daily

Thomas Tuchel has had to make Jude Bellingham a team player. He has left him out of the squad and dropped him from the starting XI this year and made him realise that there are other players in the team and that he is not the main star attraction.

And when you've got a Bellingham with this attitude and application and playing to that level, you can see Tuchel is reaping his reward with that kind of performance from him. He is a player for the big moments and he showed the reason why Tuchel decided to start him against Croatia.

Micah Richards
Former England defender

Jude Bellingham is a big-game player.

Morgan Rogers is fantastic as well, but in the moment where you needed him, he comes up trumps and that is the difference.

More from Jude Bellingham on whether he has arrived with added impetus: "A little bit. I've got a little bit of a chip on my shoulder."

In response to whether he plays better like that: "I think so. That helps me a lot to find that focus early in the game, to find that intensity.

"I know it's part of being a footballer, I don't hold a grudge about anyone that says bad things about me because sometimes I do deserve it and today, I think it was nice to try and show people and remind people what I'm about."

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Here's what Thomas Tuchel had to say about Jude Bellingham:

“You can rely on Jude in these moments. He loves these pressure games. That brings out the best in him, so that’s an easy decision to let him play and to trust him.

"Also, because of the last 16 days, 17 days, how he bought into the idea of team spirit and brotherhood, and into the idea of how we want to play football, which is slightly different to his position in Real Madrid.

"The tough, tough decision was today to say to Morgan Rogers that he will not start because he deserves 100 per cent to start, and he did ever so well for us and then for me.

"I think Jude was very reliable and did his very best to be a top team player for us."

One of the main talking points around selection before England's first group game against Croatia was whether boss Thomas Tuchel would pick Bellingham or Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers in the number 10 role behind captain Harry Kane.

Bellingham was chosen to start in Dallas and scored England's crucial third goal just after half-time, so the right decision?

At 22 years and 363 days, Jude Bellingham is the youngest European player in history to make an appearance at four different major tournaments.

Image source, Getty Images

England

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England midfielder Jude Bellingham, speaking to BBC Sport: "For me personally, it was nice to put some of the noise aside and show my country, show my teammates, how committed I am to helping us win football matches.

"I think it was a great team performance second half. First half we still got the intensity right but with the ball not quite there and second half I think we put it all together nicely.

"Again, to contribute to help my team, help my country is one of the biggest honours, regardless of the noise outside that honour doesn't change for me."

We’ve talked plenty about Harry Kane this morning, so it’s only fair we turn the spotlight elsewhere now.

How about Jude Bellingham who was just as impressive?

Image source, Getty Images

England captain Harry Kane says seeing Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland get their World Cup off to a strong start pushes him to go up another level in the bid to win the Golden Boot.

Kane is looking to become the first man in history to finish as top scorer twice after first accomplishing the feat in 2018.

"Obviously I saw the guys scoring their goals," Kane said. "I don’t like to concentrate on other people, but it is natural as a sportsman and athlete to want to reach the highest level.

"Those guys started in a great way. As a striker myself, I just want to get on the scoresheet as quickly as possible. In the back of my mind that competition helps me to push my levels. That is what the World Cup is for, to push myself at the highest level, so it is nice to get a couple.”

Kane equaled Gary Lineker’s record of 10 World Cup goals for England with his second against Croatia.

"It’s a great milestone to reach, to get 10 goals at a World Cup," Kane added. "Gary had some amazing tournaments and to be on that number now is really enjoyable.

"To reach double figures at this amazing tournament is very special. Physically, I am feeling food. The goals I have scored this year are the most I have ever had in my career, I feel I am at the peak of my powers at the right time.

"There is a long way to go, a lot of tough games ahead, but for me personally I enjoy being out there on the pitch when I am feeling in this form. Recover now and get ready for the next game.”

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England boss Thomas Tuchel praised Harry Kane's "complete performance" against Croatia which was more than just scoring two goals.

"If you see the commitment of our captain, of our number nine, in the extra time to block a crucial shot after a set piece with all his body and his commitment to buy into a defensive action like this, then you know everything about his performance today," said Tuchel.

"Complete performance, absolute leader and he is all in – he’s all in physically, he’s all in mentally, and he’s all in."

There's been more praise for Harry Kane - and his teammate Jude Bellingham - on the latest episode of the Football Daily podcast.

Join Rick Edwards, Lloyd Griffith and Paul Robinson as they break down that 4-2 victory over Croatia on the latest episode of the Football Daily podcast here.

Harry Kane was not the only Bayern Munich player to get on the scoresheet in the World Cup last night.

Colombia made a winning return to the tournament by defeating debutants Uzbekistan, with Kane's team-mate and former Liverpool forward Luis Diaz among the goalscorers.

After failing to qualify for the 2022 competition, Colombia secured a victory at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City to move top of Group K.

Crystal Palace defender Daniel Munoz scored the first goal with a superb volley at full stretch when he connected with a fine pass forwards from Diaz, who had earlier hit the post.

Uzbekistan, coached by Italian World Cup-winning defender Fabio Cannavaro, equalised in the 60th minute through Abbosbek Fayzullaev's close-range header.

But the South Americans quickly regained their lead through Diaz, who helped Liverpool win the Premier League in 2024-25 before moving to Bayern Munich in a £65.5m move last summer. It was his first goal in a World Cup.

It came after an excellent first season at Bayern, in which he scored 15 goals and provided 14 assists to help them win the German league and cup double.

Paul Merson
Former England midfielder on BBC Breakfast

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It's a bit different when you're taking a penalty to a penalty shoot-out when you're on the half-way line and you've got that dreaded walk. He would have known, Harry [Kane]. As soon as he takes the penalty, he would know that the goalkeeper has come off his line because of the angle and Harry Kane rarely misses. Straight away when you look at Harry Kane, he says straight away, he's come off his line.

On stuttering penalty: That was strange, that's not Harry Kane usually. Harry Kane goes up and he is very precise, he doesn't really give it one of them. It's the World Cup, it's nervous for how great someone can be. I find when people stutter like that sometimes, it looks cool but sometimes I think players get nervous. I never worry about Harry Kane, he's the best in the world in his position.