Harry Kane's clinical brace and a Jude Bellingham spark helped Thomas Tuchel overcome a shaky start, securing a vital victory as England’s captain nears historic goalscoring records.
Soon after kick-off, England soon found themselves under some initial pressure from the Croatian's, forcing the Three Lions into some sloppy mistakes at the back.
However, not long after, Harry Kane found himself standing over the penalty spot with the ball in his hands following a careless foul on Noni Madueke from Luka Modric inside the box.
Kane was eventually able to slot the ball away the second time of asking, after initially missing his first attempt, but was given a lifeline after Josko Gvardiol was found guilty of encroachment, as well as Dominik Livakovic being off his line.
It didn't take long for England to find themselves pegged back through a magnificent strike from Martin Baturina to level for Croatia.
But once again, Harry Kane was there to put England back in front from a Declan Rice corner with half-time looming, where once again, Croatia hit back minutes before the half-time whistle when Petar Musa found himself free in the box to slot the ball past Pickford.
Despite going into half-time off being pegged back once again, England came out in the second half firing on all cylinders, with Jude Bellingham restoring their lead after only two minutes.
This goal was soon followed by a period of England dominance, which saw Dominik Livakovic just about manage to keep his team in the game following the English blitz.
The rest of the match was fairly straightforward for the Three Lions, with Croatia offering very little threat for the remainder of the game, and a fourth goal from Marcus Rashford rounded things off for England.
Kane Steps Up
Following a career-best season with Bayern Munich, the expectation on Harry Kane to replicate this form for England this summer has been stronger than ever, with the number nine potentially being England's key to success this summer.
The Englishman appeared unfazed by the pressure placed on his shoulders, as Kane put England ahead twice in the game with two decisive finishes to put him up with Gary Lineker at the top of England's all-time goalscorers at World Cups.
Besides the goals, Kane also provided a well-rounded performance, dropping deep to link play when required, and even called into defensive action with a crucial block for his team at the back end of the game.
With another World Cup golden boot in his sights, Kane will be hoping to replicate this form in the coming games as he attempts to finally lead England to glory for the first time in 60 years this summer.
Top Start for Tuchel
Despite having leaked two unfortunate goals in the first half, Thomas Tuchel will be pleased by what he saw from his England team, as the German was able to win his match at a major tournament with England.
When interviewed after the fixture, the boss appeared calm and collected when reflecting on the performance, knowing that there is still a long way to go, with this team still having many gears to shift up to.
However, the England boss will now have a headache on his hands when choosing his next XI, following the impressive performances from his substitutes against the Croatian's, with substitute Marcus Rashford bagging England's fourth of the night off the bench combining with fellow sub Bakayo Saka.
Albeit a pleasant ultimatum to have, it will certainly be interesting to see who Tuchel chooses to select for England's Tuesday night clash with Ghana.
Whats Next For Group L
With England now toppling what will likely be their toughest opposition in Group L, Thomas Tuchel's men are now in the driving seat to finish top of the group.
With England set to play Ghana in Boston on Tuesday night, qualification to the knockout stages will be near enough guaranteed, and an even stronger position to top the group.
