England is one of the favourites to go all the way, but has found beating Croatia hard work in the past.
England won two of the last three matches between these two, including the one at the 2021 Euros with a 1-0 win thanks to a Raheem Sterling goal.
In a tense game between the two Group favourites in the heat, it may be the goals that dry up, so bet accordingly. With 15 of England’s last 16 having at least one clean sheet and two of the last three matches between these two going the same way, ‘no’ looks a bet.
- Key Stat: 15 of the last 16 matches involving England would have been a winner on the ‘no’ option on the ‘both teams to score’ market, the exception being the 1-1 against Uruguay in late March.
- Best Bet: Both teams to score: No
- Odds: 1.8 (at the time of writing)
England
Some are in the camp that this is an excellent side under their best manager in years in Tomas Tuchel, with world-class players and a flawless record in qualifying, where they won all their matches without conceding a single goal, and that they could go all the way.
Others feel like they’re too dependent on Harry Kane, won’t enjoy the hot conditions here and that their recent form in friendlies is worrying.
This match may give us a good idea of which of the two Englands will show up at this World Cup.
This could be really hard work for England, and they’d certainly take 1-0 if it were offered to them now. But 0-0 isn’t out of the equation either, with both sides feeling that wouldn’t be a bad result in the context of the tournament.
- Player to watch: Harry Kane – 2.0 to have 2 or more shots on target / 2.2 to score anytime.
Croatia
The 2018 runners-up may not have the star names of yesteryear, but they remain one of the best-drilled, most motivated, and toughest-to-beat teams in European football, with a habit of performing beyond expectations.
In Luka Modric (196), Mateo Kovacic (111), Andrej Kramaric (114) and Ivan Perisic (152), they have four players with over 100 international caps, so there’s no shortage of experience in the side, with a place in the next round seen as the bare minimum.
Player to watch: Luka Modric – 4.5 to score or assist / 1.73 to be fouled 2 or more times.
