Quite why Tuchel preferred both Ezri Konsa and John Stones to Marc Guehi in defence remains to be answered but England will have to improve at the back if they are to go deep into the tournament. They were thankful for their forward dynamism here in Texas but they will be dogged by worries at the opposite end of the field.

England have had an uneven recent history with Croatia. There have been some wins but on the biggest occasions, England have fallen short. Most notably, they lost a lead in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and fell to an extra-time defeat in Moscow. In the list of chances to win the tournament that got away over the last 60 years, that is near the top.

Just as memorably, England lost 3-2 to the Croats at Wembley in November 2007, a defeat which ended their chances of qualifying for Euro 2008 and led to Steve McClaren being labelled ‘the wally with the brolly’ after he sheltered under an umbrella on the touchline during a downpour.

That became a symbol of England’s ineffectuality and of an idea that this was a group that valued style over substance. It was exactly the kind of image Tuchel wanted to avoid. It was why he has placed an emphasis on the team rather than the individual. It was why he appeared to distrust Bellingham, although Bellingham did win the race with Morgan Rogers to start at No 10.

England did not make an impressive opening. They were quickly boxed in by the Croatia press on the edge of their own penalty area and conceded a careless corner. It was swung to the back post where Josip Sutalo met it unmarked at the back post. England were fortunate he could not keep his shot down. It was an escape.

England did not waste any time profiting from it. Eight minutes had gone when Noni Madueke latched on to a loose ball in the Croatia area. Luka Modric swung his right boot at the ball but connected with Madueke’s thigh. It was an obvious penalty.

What followed next was less than obvious. Kane stepped up to take it, took a stuttering run-up and hit the ball towards the bottom left-hand corner. Dominik Livakovic guessed correctly and pushed the ball away. Croatia were ecstatic. Kane’s last penalty at the World Cup, against France in 2022, also ended in failure.

But England protested that Livakovic had left his line when the ball was kicked and it was checked by VAR. There was also a suggestion that Josep Gvardiol had been encroaching. Both offences were marginal but they were offences. The French referee, Clement Turpin, ruled that the kick should be retaken.

Kane did not duck the challenge. Livakovic gambled that Kane would choose the opposite corner this time but Kane out-thought him. He hit the ball in the same corner and England were 1-0 up and fortunate to have the lead.

They were also the better side. They began to play some assured football as the half wore on and Bellingham nearly doubled their lead after half an hour when Kane played the ball wide to Madueke and Madueke drove an inviting cross into the path of Bellingham’s surging run. Bellingham stretched to apply the finishing touch but could not quite direct it past Livakovic.

England appeared dominant but nine minutes before half time, Croatia levelled the scores. Bellingham and Elliot Anderson lost duels in midfield and when the ball was worked to Petar Sucic, he pulled the ball back to the edge of the area. Martin Baturina met it first time and smashed it toward goal. Jordan Pickford got a hand to it but could only deflect it into the roof of the net.

England were stunned but they did not wilt. Instead, six minutes later they regained the lead. Declan Rice swung in a corner from the England right and Kane rose beautifully to meet it. He guided a precise, powerful header through a forest of defenders and England were 2-1 up. It was Kane’s 10th goal in World Cups, moving him level with Gary Lineker as England’s leading scorer in the tournament.

There were only three minutes left of regular time in the first half. England needed to take their lead into the interval. They couldn’t do it. In the fifth and final minute of time added on, Croatia floated a ball over England’s defence, Ivan Perisic, their old nemesis, nodded an astute header into the path of Petar Musa and he volleyed it past Pickford.

It was a fine goal for Croatia but it was also a grim indictment of England’s defending. They were way too porous, way too easy to pick apart. No one wins a World Cup, or gets close to winning a World Cup, defending like that. It was a sobering first half and England took their time coming out for the second. They looked bedraggled when they emerged.

But it only took them 90 seconds to take the lead again. Anderson clipped a first-time ball down the line and Bellingham ran on to it. Defenders backed off him and he ran in on goal from the right. He hit the ball across Livakovic and it cannoned off the inside of the far post and into the net.

England pressed for a fourth. Rice drove forwards and lashed a shot towards the top corner. Livakovic flung himself at it and pushed it over. Next, Livakovic made a fine reaction save to deny Nico O’Reilly, then he saved the follow-up from Anthony Gordon and smothered a third attempt from Ezri Konsa. He made another double save from Kane. Croatia were being overrun.

They dug in and brought England some nervous moments before Rashford made things safe five minutes from the end with a composed finish after fellow substitute Bukayo Saka’s pass to him.