England’s best performers from the World Cup group stage

England topped Group L at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after three matches that produced two wins and a draw. The 2-0 victory over Panama at the weekend wrapped up first place, and attention now turns to Wednesday’s round of 32 tie against DR Congo. You can find the England vs Congo odds ahead of that one.

The group stage brought varying levels of performance from Thomas Tuchel’s squad. The 4-2 win over Croatia was the standout result, full of attacking intent, while the 0-0 draw with Ghana was a more difficult evening. Panama, ranked considerably lower, offered a more straightforward final fixture. Here, we look at the players who did most to earn England their place in the knockout rounds.

Declan Rice

Rice was one of England’s most consistent performers, despite not playing during the final game against Panama. Against Ghana, when England struggled to create, he was one of the few who kept the ball moving efficiently and stopped the game from becoming scrappy. There is no debate that Rice is one of the best set-piece takers in the world, and his most decisive contribution came in the 4-2 win over Croatia, where he delivered the corner that Harry Kane headed in for England’s second goal of the match.

Jude Bellingham

Bellingham carried the most attacking threat of any England midfielder in the group stage. He was at his best in the win over Croatia, where his movement between the lines caused problems for the Croatians, taking on defenders to score just minutes into the second half. His energy also showed up against Panama, where he covered the full length of the pitch at times.

He both created chances and scored, including England’s breakthrough moment of the game, where he cleverly poked the ball, delivered from a corner, into the back of the net to put England in front 1-0. He was awarded Player of the Match in both the Ghana and Panama games, though he openly admitted that a Ghanaian player should have received the award instead. At 22 when the World Cup started, he became the youngest European player to feature at four major tournaments.

Harry Kane

Kane has been England’s most productive attacking player, scoring in both the 4-2 win over Croatia and the 2-0 win over Panama. Against Croatia, he scored twice, a penalty in the 12th minute and a header from Rice’s corner in the 42nd minute.

That header is particularly notable because it came from structured set-piece execution rather than open play, reinforcing Kane’s aerial threat. He followed that up with another goal in the Panama match, taking his group-stage tally to three. Across the three matches, he has consistently been England’s primary finishing outlet inside the box.

Marcus Rashford

Rashford offered a different kind of threat from the left, using his pace to get behind defences and stretch the opposition’s shape. He was particularly useful in the Croatia match, where his directness created situations that a deeper-lying team would have struggled to deal with. He scored a late finisher in the Croatia match, sealing the 4-2 win for England in the 85^th minute.

Elliot Anderson

Anderson’s performances have been one of the more pleasant surprises of the group stage for England. He covered a huge amount of ground in each match, pressing intelligently and contributing to transitions in both directions. His work against Panama helped England control the second half and protect the clean sheet, and without Rice on the pitch for the final group game, defensive midfielder responsibilities fell heavily on him, and he dealt with the pressure well.

Noni Madueke

Madueke’s best showing came against Croatia, where his directness on the ball caused problems from the wide right channel. He showed an ability to beat his man at pace and deliver in the final third, though his influence was less pronounced in the two matches that followed. With football odds likely reflecting England’s strong start, he’ll be hoping to build on his Croatia display as the tournament progresses.

Bukayo Saka

Saka’s contribution in the Croatia match stood above anything else he produced in the group stage. He was sharp, direct, and took his opportunities to get at defenders in ways that gave England clear superiority on the right flank. His involvement dropped in subsequent fixtures, but his impact against Croatia was significant enough to warrant his place on this list.