England opened World Cup 2026 Group L with a 4-2 victory over Croatia at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. In a game with goals and momentum swings, Jude Bellingham put in an efficient, busy performance. He scored once, threatened from midfield, and helped England steer the contest after halftime. His Sofascore Rating came in at 7.7, reflecting end product and plenty of work without the ball.

Goals, shots and that Sofascore Rating

Bellingham finished with one goal from three total shots, two of them on target. All three attempts came inside the box, which kept his chances high quality. His expected goals measured 0.48, with 0.75 expected goals on target after contact. The strike came from his right foot and underlined England’s direct runners from midfield. He also had one big chance missed, a reminder that there was room for an even bigger haul. The goal conversion rate sat at 33%, solid in a high-tempo opener. Add one key pass to the tally and you have a player involved in most of England’s best moments.

The 7.7 Sofascore Rating mirrors that balance of threat and control. It rewards his clean shooting map, the goal, and his influence in England’s final-third actions. It also bakes in the missed big chance, which kept the number short of the very top. Still, for an 80-minute shift in a lively 4-2, it was a performance that moved the needle.

Defensive shifts and duels

Out of possession, Bellingham was sharp and disciplined. He won all three of his tackles, going 3/3 in the middle of the park. He added one interception and one clearance, both useful in breaking Croatia’s rhythm. Five ball recoveries show how quickly he helped England regain control after loose phases. He committed zero fouls and drew one, which kept England on the right side of game management. He lost possession 10 times but was rarely caught in dangerous zones.

The duel numbers back up the eye test. He won five of seven total duels, including an excellent 83% on the ground. Aerially he was 0/1, but Croatia found little joy when he engaged on the deck. The heat map highlights activity across central lanes and advanced pockets, exactly where England needed turnovers to turn into attacks. That defensive reliability, combined with his goal, kept his Sofascore Rating in a strong range.

Passing, progression and carries

With the ball, Bellingham kept things tidy and forward-facing when it mattered. He completed 18 of 24 passes for a 75% accuracy rate. In England’s half he went 13/16, a good base for building moves. In the opposition half he was 5/8, with two accurate passes in the final third. He registered one key pass and one total chance created. Crosses and long balls were low volume, at 0/1 accurate in each category, which matched England’s preference for quick combinations.

His carrying game added another layer. He made 10 ball carries for a total of 80.5 meters moved. Two of those were progressive carries, adding 28.2 meters upfield, with his best single progression at 17.88 meters. He was dispossessed once and had two heavy touches, but still maintained control more often than not. Forty-one touches in 80 minutes show selective involvement rather than constant recycling. It was the right blend for a match that asked for vertical play over sterile possession.

Stage, context and what it means

This was Round 1 in Group L, and it played out in front of 70,389 fans in Arlington. Clement Turpin officiated as England, coached here by Thomas Tuchel, found enough incision to win by two. Bellingham’s minutes were managed at 80, which should help with the short group-stage turnaround. For a Real Madrid midfielder valued at €123m in proposed market value, this was a measured start with headline moments. The numbers point to a player who delivered in both boxes, which is the currency that matters most in tournaments.

If you want more detail, Sofascore has the full package. You can revisit his live heat map, shot placement, and the play-by-play that fed into that 7.7 Sofascore Rating. There is also xG, xGOT and pass maps for every England game. England’s attack looked comfortable when he arrived in the box, and secure when he pressed back into midfield. Keep an eye on how his progressive carries ramp up across Group L. If the finishing keeps pace with the chance quality we saw here, bigger numbers are coming.