The moment of blades and swords—England vs Croatia

Today’s Dallas AT&T Stadium is destined to be anything but peaceful. England against Croatia, this is not an ordinary group stage, but a sequel to the 2018 semi-final. Croatia’s veterans are back again, while England carries the obsession of “must avenge.”

The moment I look forward to most isn’t some fancy team coordination, but Harry Kane and Luka Modrić’s direct confrontation in midfield. Kane’s iconic stop-and-turn, or Modrić’s precise through pass tearing open the England defense—at that moment, the commentator might just shout “That’s ruthless!” But old veteran me is more eager to see: England’s defensive midfielder collide with Modrić in a scramble, the field falling silent for two seconds, then a chorus of boos erupting across the stadium.

Another high-energy moment is likely to come from the wing. England’s Saka or Palmer dribbling inward, Croatian full-back sliding in but missing, the ball poked into the penalty area—at that moment, fans will recall that disallowed goal from 2018. Football is like that; hatred never diminishes with time, it only intensifies with new and old grudges stacking up.

💡 Old veteran me has always believed that the most exciting moments in this game are often not the goals themselves, but those “almost” moments. If England again falters at a critical moment, Croatia’s veterans will tell them in the cruelest way: the World Cup stage never gives a second chance #预测世界杯英格兰VS克罗地亚