England 3–0 Costa Rica: Tuchel’s Side Deliver World Cup Warning in Orlando

📅 Match	ENG 3–0 Costa Rica
🏟️ Venue	Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando, Florida
📆 Date	Wednesday, June 11, 2026
🏆 Competition	International Friendly

There was a storm warning in Orlando on Wednesday night — and not just from the weather. England’s final open warm-up match before the World Cup was delayed an hour by lightning in the area, but when the whistle finally blew, Thomas Tuchel’s side made their intentions unmistakably clear. Three goals. Twenty-seven shots. Seventy-nine percent possession. Costa Rica did not manage a single shot on target against Jordan Pickford. If Croatia were watching from their hotel room on June 17, they will not have liked what they saw.

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How Did England Perform Against Costa Rica in Orlando?

Dominant from first whistle to last. ENG controlled every aspect of the match — possession, shots, corners, territory. The final statistics tell the full story: 27 shots to Costa Rica’s one, 79% possession, 11 corners to one. A performance of total control.

The storm delay seemed to focus rather than disrupt the Three Lions — within nine minutes of kickoff, Declan Rice had already put them ahead.

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How Did the Goals Go In for England?

8′ — Declan Rice: Anthony Gordon’s delivery from wide found Rice arriving late into the box — the Arsenal midfielder finished with the composure of someone who has been doing this at the highest level for years. 1–0.

67′ — Anthony Gordon (penalty): A handball in the area gave Gordon the chance from twelve yards. The Newcastle winger stepped up and converted without hesitation. 2–0.

86′ — Ollie Watkins: The substitute had been on the pitch barely minutes when he pounced on a rebound after the Costa Rican goalkeeper saved the initial effort. The Aston Villa striker’s instinct at its sharpest. 3–0.

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What Were the Match Statistics?

Statistic	England	Costa Rica
Shots (on target)	27 (9)	1 (0)
Possession	79%	21%
Corners	11	1
Fouls	7	23
Yellow cards	0	4

Costa Rica’s four yellow cards and 23 fouls tell a secondary story — Tuchel’s side were so dominant that the Central Americans resorted to fouling their way through the second half. Pickford was not tested once.

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How Did Individual ENG Players Rate Against Costa Rica?

Jordan Pickford — had nothing to do. Stayed sharp when required in build-up play. Did his job by having no job to do. 7/10

Trent Alexander-Arnold — creative from right back, driving forward regularly, involved in the build-up throughout the first half. 7/10

John Stones — commanding at the back, never troubled, authoritative in possession when Costa Rica did manage to press. 7/10

Marc Guéhi — composed, no errors, exactly the kind of performance you want from a centre-back in a confidence-building warm-up. 7/10

Luke Shaw — returned to the starting lineup and showed his quality — delivery from the left was consistent and dangerous. 7/10

Declan Rice — opened the scoring, dominated the midfield engine room, covered every blade of grass. The best performer on the night. 8/10

Jude Bellingham — direct, creative, constantly looking for the killer pass. The Real Madrid star was the most dangerous player in the final third. 8/10

Anthony Gordon — assisted the first goal and scored the second from the spot. An excellent evening for the Newcastle winger — making a strong case for a starting role in Houston. 8/10

Phil Foden — bright moments throughout, linked play intelligently, found pockets of space. 7/10

Harry Kane — held up play effectively, linked well with those around him, went close on a couple of occasions. Did not get his goal but contributed throughout. 7/10

Ollie Watkins (sub) — came off the bench and scored within minutes. The kind of contribution that makes a manager’s selection decision very difficult. 7/10

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What Did This Result Mean for England’s World Cup Preparation?

This was England’s final open preparatory match before the tournament begins. Tuchel now has confirmation of what his starting XI looks like, how his pressing system functions against a compact defensive block, and — perhaps most importantly — that Gordon is in the form of his life going into the group stage.

The Three Lions open their World Cup campaign against Croatia on June 17. If that performance was anything to go by, the Croatians will need a very different game plan to the one they used to beat England at the 2018 World Cup final.

Want to know more about how ENG might perform in the tournament? Our World Cup 2026 tournament predictions page covers every Group L fixture with odds and analysis as the tournament develops.

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What Has Changed Since England Last Faced Croatia?

2018: Croatia beat ENG 2–1 in extra time in the World Cup semi-final in Moscow. Mario Mandžukić’s extra-time goal ended England’s best tournament run in 28 years. A gut punch that took years to process.

2026: A different England. Tuchel instead of Southgate. Bellingham at Real Madrid. Rice at Arsenal. A squad that has lived through the heartbreak of 2018 and 2021 and arrived at this tournament with something to prove. The 3–0 against Costa Rica — 79% possession, 27 shots, zero conceded — was the statement of intent.

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What Do Our Experts Think About England’s World Cup Chances After This Result?

“Three goals, twenty-seven shots, zero conceded. Costa Rica are not Croatia — but this was not about the opponent. This was about England finding their rhythm, their intensity, their pattern. Rice was outstanding. Gordon was outstanding. Watkins came off the bench and scored in under five minutes. Tuchel has options everywhere. The 2018 semi-final defeat to Croatia still sits in English football’s memory — June 17 is the chance to rewrite part of that story. We think England win Group L. This result only reinforced that view.”

— ClareGAA Sports Desk

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Where Can Irish Fans Watch England’s World Cup Matches?

• 📺 BBC One / ITV1 — free to air, all England matches
• 💻 BBC iPlayer / ITVX — free stream, no login needed
• 📺 RTÉ Sport — may also carry selected fixtures

England’s first World Cup match: Croatia, June 17 — time TBC.

For all the latest football betting insights ahead of the World Cup group stage — including England’s odds and markets for every fixture — check our dedicated page updated daily.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What Was the Final Score of England vs Costa Rica?

England 3–0 Costa Rica. Goals from Declan Rice (8′), Anthony Gordon pen (67′) and Ollie Watkins (86′) at Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando, June 11, 2026.

Why Was the England vs Costa Rica Match Delayed?

The match was delayed by one hour due to a severe lightning storm in the Orlando area. Play began approximately 60 minutes later than scheduled.

Who Scored for England Against Costa Rica?

Declan Rice (8′), Anthony Gordon from the penalty spot (67′) and substitute Ollie Watkins (86′).

When Do England Play Their First World Cup Match?

England face Croatia on June 17, 2026. Full kickoff time and broadcast details to be confirmed closer to the fixture.

How Did England Dominate the Statistics Against Costa Rica?

England had 27 shots (9 on target) to Costa Rica’s 1 (0 on target), 79% possession and 11 corners. Costa Rica received four yellow cards.