England begin their 2026 World Cup campaign on Wednesday, taking on Croatia in Dallas in what promises to be a highly anticipated rematch.
The two sides last met at this stage in the 2018 World Cup semi-final, when Croatia memorably knocked England out of the tournament.
Croatia’s squad has aged considerably since that famous victory, and they are now widely considered a side lacking the quality to trouble elite opposition.
England, by contrast, arrive at this tournament in strong shape, with Thomas Tuchel having taken over managerial duties from Gareth Southgate.
Tuchel’s influence has been clear, with England looking well organised defensively and carrying genuine attacking threat throughout qualifying and preparation.
McBookie have England as 19/25 favourites for the match, with Luka Modric and his Croatian teammates available at 15/4 to cause an upset.
Given Tuchel’s defensive discipline, an England win to nil looks a genuine possibility and is priced at 11/7 with McBookie.
Combining an England victory with under 3.5 goals in a bet builder offers a slightly safer route, paying out at 9/7.
Harry Kane heads into this World Cup in outstanding form, and backing him to score against Croatia appeals strongly at 13/10.
Earlier on Wednesday, Portugal face DR Congo in a match where the African side could prove a difficult opponent despite their underdog status.
Roberto Martinez’s Portugal have one of the strongest squads at the tournament but have a tendency to flatter to deceive under the Spanish coach.
McBookie have Portugal as 2/7 hot favourites, though DR Congo’s defensive organisation could make this a frustrating contest for the Europeans.
A Portugal win combined with under 3.5 goals looks a tempting option given the likely setup from DR Congo, paying evens.
With DR Congo expected to sit deep and frustrate, Portugal will likely press forward aggressively, which could push the corner count higher throughout the match.
Over 3.5 first-half Portugal corners is the recommended play at 13/10, with McBookie also offering Kane to score at 13/10 as a strong standalone single.
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