Moscow, July 11, 2018. Mario Mandzukic heads home in extra time and Croatia eliminate England in the World Cup semifinals. That goal, that match, that night — it all comes rushing back when you look at the composition of Group L. The draw has reunited them, and this time the rematch arrives in the opening round.

But Group L is not merely a re-run of that semifinal. Ghana bring an African World Cup tradition that has produced iconic moments, and Panama are experiencing only their second ever World Cup appearance. Four teams, four stories, zero dead rubbers.

England: the perennial promise looking to deliver

English football has spent years building a narrative of progression: semifinalists at Russia 2018, Euro 2020 finalists, quarterfinalists at Qatar 2022, Euro 2024 finalists. Each tournament a step closer. Each tournament a new chapter of the same story: England compete, England go far, England do not win.

Under the tactical project that has provided continuity to the national team, England possess one of the deepest squads in the tournament. The Premier League produces players at an industrial rate, and the team can field a starting eleven that would compete with anyone in the world — and a bench that would strengthen most other sides among the favorites.

England’s problem has never been talent. It has been the ability to take the final step when the pressure peaks. The penalty shootout against Italy at Wembley (Euro 2020), the defeat to France in the quarterfinals (Qatar 2022), the final lost to Spain (Euro 2024) — the pattern is consistent and painful. This group should be manageable. What comes after is where England are truly tested.

Croatia: the small country that plays like a giant

Croatia are the most extraordinary case of sustained performance among small nations in recent history. With barely four million inhabitants, they have been finalists in 2018 and third-place finishers in 2022 — two consecutive results that no country of their size has ever achieved.

The question for 2026 is generational. The Luka Modric era, which has defined a decade of Croatian football, is in its final act. At 40, the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner could be playing his last major tournament. The transition toward a new generation of midfielders — with Lovro Majer and Luka Sucic as the leading candidates to inherit the baton — is underway but not complete.

Croatia at a World Cup are never a comfortable opponent. Their ability to raise their level in decisive moments, their competitive mentality, and a tactical culture forged over two decades of constant presence at major tournaments make them an adversary nobody wants to face in the opening round.

The reunion with England adds an extra layer of motivation. That night in Moscow remains the greatest moment in Croatian sporting history, and the team will want to prove it was no accident.

Ghana: an African tradition that demands respect

Ghana have been one of the most consistent African nations at World Cups. The quarterfinals at South Africa 2010 — with Asamoah Gyan’s penalty miss against Uruguay, Suarez’s handball, an entire continent’s tears — remain one of the most dramatic moments football has ever produced.

The Ghanaian squad arrive at 2026 with a generation looking to write their own chapter. Talent is not in short supply: Ghanaian academies continue to export players to Europe at a steady clip, and the blend of locally developed players with those raised in the European diaspora gives Ghana a depth that many African teams envy.

In Group L, Ghana could be the team that upends every prediction. If they manage to compete on level terms with England or Croatia in the first two matchdays, the final fixture could turn into a three-way scramble where FIFA rankings matter less than attitude.

Panama: the second time is different

When Panama qualified for their first World Cup in 2018, the entire country stopped. There were tears in the streets, a national holiday, a collective feeling of having achieved the impossible. Then came Russia, with three defeats in three matches and the harsh reality of the gap in quality.

The second World Cup appearance arrives with a different perspective. There is no novelty, no surprise. What there is, is experience — the knowledge of what it feels like to play on the biggest stage — and the ambition to ensure this time the results are different.

Panama will not have the squad to dominate England or Croatia, but CONCACAF football produces teams that know how to compete, that defend with aggression, and that can hurt opponents from set pieces. In a group where a single point could be the difference between elimination and qualification as a best third-placed team, that capacity to fight for every ball matters.

What to expect from Group L

England vs. Croatia is the headline fixture and the match that will likely determine who tops the group. It is a meeting between two teams that know each other, that respect each other, and that have unfinished business. Recent World Cup history favors Croatia in the head-to-head, but England’s individual talent is a difficult argument to dismiss.

Ghana are the unknown quantity with the greatest potential for impact. If the Ghanaian team arrive in top form, this group could end with three teams battling for two spots on the final matchday — exactly the kind of scenario that makes the World Cup the greatest show in sport.

Panama will close out the group with the mission of competing every minute and, if the chance presents itself, delivering the upset they could not manage in Russia. In a 48-team tournament, the margins tighten. And when the margins tighten, underdogs have more room to dream.

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