Journalist Anh Ngoc: Since the 2026 World Cup, Harry Kane has been bringing football home.

That campaign for the Ballon d'Or and world championship was started by Kane at AT&T Stadium in the 10th minute with a penalty that had to be taken twice.

England fans were utterly disappointed, many covering their faces in frustration when the first penalty was saved by the Croatian goalkeeper. But soon after, disappointment gave way to boundless joy when the penalty was retaken and Kane succeeded. The English striker remained calm after the missed attempt, and appeared even more composed after converting the second to score the goal.

His phenomenal season, with 51 appearances and 61 goals for Bayern Munich in Germany, now continues in the national team shirt, paving the way for England's victory – a sweet redemption at the World Cup stage after their most recent defeat in this tournament since losing to Croatia in the 2018 World Cup semi-final.

Martin Baturina's equalizer to make it 1-1 was only a rare highlight for Croatia in the first half, because that half belonged to Kane – and to no one else, not even Luka Modric, who had won the penalty for Kane to take but played a lackluster game and was substituted just 13 minutes into the second half. A perfect header at the end of the first half once again showcased Kane's brilliance and put England ahead. That was his 10th goal in three consecutive World Cups, and his 80th goal in 115 appearances for England.

In a World Cup eagerly anticipated for its top strikers, we saw Lionel Messi score a hat-trick, Erling Haaland bag a brace, and Kylian Mbappe as well. A host of other names – Florin Balogun (USA), Kai Havertz (Germany), Elijah Just (New Zealand), and Yasin Ayari (Sweden) – also netted two goals, helping Kane join the race for the tournament's Golden Boot. And not only that – he is aiming for the World Cup trophy and the Ballon d'Or.

The second half was a wonderful half for those who love beautiful football, who enjoy seeing England transform and play a fast, powerful attacking style. By the 60th minute, England had taken 18 shots with 8 on target, four times as many as their Balkan opponents. Earlier, right at the start of the second half, Jude Bellingham scored England's third with a lightning-fast dribble, while Kane continued to threaten the Croatian goal on numerous occasions, dropping deeper to orchestrate sharp attacks.

Marcus Rashford's fourth goal after coming off the bench was like icing on the victory cake. In the stands, England fans sang loudly in a state of excitement. They saw an England side that attacked and entertained, constantly dangerous from corners in the Arsenal style, and their biggest stars – from Kane to Bellingham and Rashford – shone brilliantly in what was one of the best group-stage matches so far.

Before the match kicked off, this World Cup began with much skepticism from the media toward German coach Thomas Tuchel, along with incidents and troubles during preparations for their first group L match against Croatia. First, there was a shooting near their camp in Kansas City; then, the theft of jerseys and boots; followed by tornado warnings; and finally, defender Tino Livramento became the first "casualty" after an injury that ruled him out of the tournament, forcing him to return home.

In the pre-match press conference, Tuchel said: "I don't want to bring up the weather to complain or make excuses, but it's true there are many issues with the heat and humidity. However, we will try to win this tournament." That determination was already evident in this opening match.

As they left the stadium after the match, thousands of England fans sang out loud, "It's coming home." Now, with this impressive performance to kick off their World Cup campaign, many believe that England's trophy drought will finally end after two consecutive EURO final losses. Could this World Cup be the last chance for Kane, now 33 years old, to shine and bring a title to England, as "football comes home"?