England captain Harry Kane has expressed confidence ahead of his team’s World Cup group stage opener against Croatia, emphasizing a physical and fearless approach. The match is scheduled for tonight at the AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.

Manager Thomas Tuchel has named a 26-man squad notable for its height and athleticism, including six-foot-four defender Trevoh Chalobah, who was added to the roster as a replacement for the injured Tino Livramento. The team features only five players under six feet tall, with the shortest members—Bukayo Saka, Elliot Anderson, and Eberechi Eze—still measuring 5ft 10in. Other towering players include left-back Nico O’Reilly at 6ft 4in and defender Dan Burn at 6ft 7in. Kane himself stands at 6ft 2in and is competing in his sixth major international tournament.

Reflecting on England’s previous World Cup performance in Qatar 2022, where the team was eliminated in the quarter-finals by France, Kane acknowledged the disappointment of missing a decisive penalty but stressed the importance of taking risks and maintaining freedom on the pitch. “We’re here to go far in the tournament, that’s our goal,” he stated. Kane emphasized that regrets stem more from not giving full effort than from mistakes such as missed chances or penalties. “I’d rather lose giving it everything, showing my best abilities, whether you make mistakes or not,” he said.

Tuchel echoed his captain’s sentiments, highlighting the squad’s defensive strength, noting that England did not concede a goal during qualification. He encouraged the team to play with bravery and to leverage their strengths, drawing on their club-level experience to foster confidence and energy. “We need a connection with our fans, who are here, with the fans at home, to create something special,” Tuchel remarked.

England’s emphasis on physicality and attacking freedom aims to set the tone for their tournament campaign as they face Croatia in a match seen as crucial to their chances in Group L.