England captain Harry Kane labelled a 'master of the game' by Croatia rival ahead of World Cup clash

Kane enters the tournament on the back of a sensational individual campaign with Bayern Munich, where he plundered 61 goals in just 51 appearances. That ruthless efficiency has not gone unnoticed by his upcoming opponents, who are well aware of the threat the 32-year-old poses as Thomas Tuchel leads the Three Lions into their Group L opener in Dallas.

Croatia defender Caleta-Car admits he was left stunned by the striker's all-round ability during previous encounters, despite the forward failing to get on the scoresheet in those specific games. "Kane impressed me in our match against England at the European Championship, even though he didn’t score," Caleta-Car said. "His movement and positioning - you can clearly see he’s a master of the game and knows exactly what he’s doing."

While Kane’s individual statistics remain peerless, including his status as England's all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 114 caps, his international career has been defined by narrow misses. He has carried the burden of back-to-back European Championship final defeats against Italy and Spain, as well as the painful 2018 World Cup semi-final exit at the hands of this week's opponents.

Despite those disappointments, Kane appears to have settled into life in the United States quickly, scoring the winner in a recent friendly against New Zealand. However, the build-up to the tournament has not been entirely smooth, as custom football boots belonging to the captain were reportedly stolen from a team vehicle following the squad's arrival in Kansas City.

The veteran Croatian squad, who finished third at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, are under no illusions regarding the task ahead in Texas. Caleta-Car, a former Southampton defender, believes the key to stopping England lies in collective discipline and denying Kane the space he needs to operate between the lines.

“The most important thing is that we translate everything we’ve worked on during our preparations onto the pitch and try to execute all of the coach’s ideas,” the defender explained. “The team is ready, and we’re facing a difficult match. We must not give them too much space because they have quality individuals who can decide a game with a single move. But we’re ready and looking forward to the first match.”

England and Croatia have shared a heated rivalry on the major stage over the last decade. While the Vatreni ended the Three Lions' dreams in Russia six years ago, England secured a measure of revenge with a 1-0 victory at Wembley during the group stages of Euro 2020. This latest chapter in Dallas will set the tone for a Group L that also features Ghana and Panama.

Zlatko Dalic’s side are known for their resilience and technical quality in midfield, but they will need every bit of that experience to stop a Kane-led attack that looks more potent than ever under Tuchel.