The shackles are off for England

Yes, England fans had to endure a few nervy moments during their Group L opener at the FIFA World Cup in Arlington yesterday, but by the end of the night they left fully satisfied as Thomas Tuchel's men put four past Croatia in an emphatic 4-2 victory.

Amid a host of positives and a few reminders of lingering defensive frailties, the biggest takeaway was simple. This England side was fun, proactive and, among the tournament's traditional heavyweights, one of the most entertaining so far.

It felt uncharacteristically English, especially in an opening World Cup match. England may have looked less secure defensively -- unusual under Tuchel -- but in attack they offered abundance.

The Group L meeting carried significance long before kickoff. Croatia's extra-time victory over England in the 2018 World Cup semifinals added an extra edge to the occasion, and the heavyweight clash at Dallas Stadium more than lived up to its billing.

Star striker Harry Kane struck twice, but Croatia dragged themselves level on each occasion, refusing to let England off the hook before Jude Bellingham restored England's lead for a third time in the 47th minute and Marcus Rashford sealed victory with an 85th-minute strike.

Perhaps the clearest indication that England are shedding some of their old conservatism arrived in the 72nd minute.

England were leading 3-2. The old instinct -- perhaps the English instinct -- would have been to protect what they had. Many supporters, conditioned by years of tournament football under Tuchel's predecessor Gareth Southgate, might have expected Jordan Henderson to appear and help see the game out. Perhaps another defender. Perhaps another layer of security.

Instead, Tuchel's England did the opposite. Tuchel wanted more. And on came Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Morgan Rogers.

Too often England prioritised control over imagination. It took them deep into tournaments, but many supporters struggled to understand why such a talented squad appeared so restrained, as though a straightjacket had been placed on some of the finest players in world football.

England reached the finals of Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 and the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup under Southgate, but despite possessing one of the most gifted squads in international football, there was often a feeling they had left something in reserve. The results were there, but the satisfaction and full expression of that talent rarely were. Southgate's excellent record suggests the ends justified much of the means, but it was rarely the football that pushed supporters to the edge of their seats.

Not this time. This was a match that demanded attention from start to finish. England supporters, long starved of such entertainment on the biggest stage, undoubtedly appreciated it.

England's victory was a product of Tuchel's positive thinking as well. From day one, he has spoken of chasing "the second star on the shirt", and his approach suggests he has little interest in the conservatism that often defined England's recent past.

More importantly, he backed those words up with action. There were no notes of caution as the attack-minded Rogers replaced the more defensively inclined Declan Rice, Rashford came on for Anthony Gordon and Saka replaced Noni Madueke. Despite leading 3-2, every change was designed to extend that lead rather than simply protect it.

"When we were sat there watching the game and I saw the three lads coming on -- Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Morgan Rogers -- I said, 'I absolutely love these subs'," former England striker Wayne Rooney said while working as a BBC Sport pundit.

"I loved how positive Thomas Tuchel was being because if you sit back and wait for Croatia to come on then it gets nervy. It's brave and shows he's trying to win the game. Then Djed Spence came on and all four were involved in that goal. I think it's brilliant."

It was not all smooth sailing for Tuchel's side. At times, particularly in the first half, England surrendered possession too cheaply, looked hesitant and indecisive, and struggled to coordinate an ambitious press.

The second half told a different story as England rotated with greater assurance, particularly down the right flank where they repeatedly sought to release Madueke into space. One such move led directly to Bellingham's goal, while another intelligent overload on the same side eventually freed Rashford on the opposite flank for England's fourth.

Most encouraging was England's willingness to adapt. After a difficult first half, they adjusted as the game progressed rather than remaining rigid. The personnel choices also started to make sense. Madueke and Gordon provide direct running beyond the deep-dropping Kane, while Saka offers pause, poise and combination play. Meanwhile, Rashford adds technical quality to pace and power. Tuchel has different tools for different problems.

Another notable aspect of England's display was their use of set-pieces, borrowing heavily from the 2025-26 Premier League champions Arsenal's playbook. Declan Rice, one of Arsenal's primary dead-ball specialists, delivered several dangerous balls into the area as England repeatedly created chaos inside Croatia's box.

Madueke won a penalty from a resulting corner, Kane scored his second from another set-piece situation, and Nico O'Reilly could easily have found the net twice from similar deliveries.

Questions remain at the other end of the pitch, however. Tuchel raised eyebrows by pairing John Stones with Ezri Konsa ahead of Marc Guehi, while Reece James' failure to track his runner for Croatia's second goal suggested there is still considerable work to do in making this combination of defenders function as a cohesive unit.

England have already accomplished what fellow contenders Spain, Brazil and Portugal failed to do -- win their opening match. They were hesitant early on, but once they found their stride, they looked dangerous, flexible and brave. Yet the result alone is not why this performance mattered. England have won opening games before. They have won major-tournament matches before. What they have rarely done is leave supporters wanting to watch them again immediately.

For a team carrying heavy expectations, that was an encouraging first step, and perhaps an early warning to the rest of the tournament.