The Tottenham Hotspur star at the heart of duel which could define England v Croatia

On Wednesday evening, England finally get their World Cup campaign underway in the scorching Dallas sun. Their opponents, Croatia, may prove to be the toughest they face in Group L, a team packed with the veterans of two deep runs in this tournament in 2018 and 2022 – but it’s the youngest player in their squad who might have the most important role of all.

19-year-old centre-back Luka Vušković joined Tottenham Hotspur in 2023, but the teenager made his name and earned his place at the World Cup while on loan at Hamburg over the past year, where he shone and drew the attention of a host of teams who hope to take him off Spurs’ hands in the transfer window. He might be the most sought-after defensive prospect in Europe right now – and now he has to prove his worth against Harry Kane.

Luka Vušković’s duel with Harry Kane could be crucial as England face Croatia

For all the hand-wringing over Thomas Tuchel’s squad selection and the debates over who might start at centre-half or whether Bukayo Saka should play through injury, Kane remains the one absolute constant in the England side. He is the focal point of the attack, the primary goalscoring outlet and the creative engine all in one. If Croatia want to kick-start a third consecutive run to the semi-finals or further, the precocious Vušković will have to shut Kane down.

It isn’t yet clear whether Vušković will be one-on-one with Kane or whether he will be given some help. Croatia manager Zlatko Dalić generally stuck to a back four through qualification but has flirted with a back three in recent friendlies, despite telling the press that he would “never try to play with three at the back again” after first trying it out in a 3-1 win over the Faroe Islands.

If Dalić does go with a back three, as he did in recent friendly matches against Colombia, Brazil and Belgium, then Vušković will be tasked with keeping England’s record goalscorer quiet more or less on his own, with the wingers likely to keep the two wider centre-backs occupied for long stretches.

This won’t be the first time that the teenager has come up against Kane, and Vušković struggled badly during their first Bundesliga meeting back in September when Bayern won 5-0 and Kane scored twice – with his second goal coming after the Croatian’s loose marking offered up far too much space for a shot. It was perhaps Vušković’s single worst performance in a Hamburg shirt.

It was a slightly different story when they crossed paths again at the end of January, however. On that occasion, Hamburg battled their way to a 2-2 draw and while Kane did get on the scoresheet, Vušković was not to blame – indeed, he was impressive and not only kept Kane quiet for long periods but also headed home the equalising goal in the second half. He certainly looked like a he had learned some useful lessons from the beating he took in the Allianz Arena a few months before.

Vušković is immense in the air - but he can he beat Kane on the ground?

One issue facing Vušković is that he may not have too many opportunities to bring his single greatest strength – his dominance in the air – to bear against England. Tuchel likes his side to keep the ball on the ground and criticised the number of deep crosses his side played in their 1-0 warm-up win against New Zealand. They’re certainly likely to have more joy against Croatia if they keep the ball at sea level.

Standing at 6’4” tall, Vušković is an imposing presence in the box and won a remarkably impressive 75% of his aerial duels in the Bundesliga last season. If England do revert and start slinging high balls towards Kane’s head, they will be playing into Vušković’s hands.

When the ball is on the ground, Vušković – a natural ball-playing centre-back with excellent technique – is still perfectly capable of shutting opposing strikers down, but will be a little bit more vulnerable against a player whose first touch and sense of space is as strong as Kane’s. The Croatian will have to be at his very best to close Kane down effectively, especially when he drops into deeper areas to find possession.

The ‘quarter-back’ positions Kane often takes up for England will present Vušković with a new puzzle to solve. Should he follow Kane out of defence and risk leaving space in behind? Or hold his position and give Kane space to shoot from distance? As plenty of far more experienced defenders have found out over the years, there isn’t an obvious answer. Vušković will have to find his own way to deal with a striker who usually comes out on top in such battles.

His performance in January’s draw against Bayern Munich will give him good cause to believe that it’s a job he’s capable of doing in a much more consequential match, but the pressure on the only player under the age of 21 in Croatia’s squad will be immense. He has earned the starting spot after an exceptional season, but is still the greenest member of a deeply experienced team – and may be presented with a tougher assignment than any of his team-mates.

Plenty of European club sides clearly believe in Vušković’s talent. Brighton & Hove Albion have already made a bid, and it’s hard to find an elite team who haven’t been monitoring him over the past few months. He will probably never make his debut for Spurs, and if he can keep Kane quiet then he could well persuade some of his supposed suitors - which include Barcelona and Bayern Munich themselves - to enter the bidding as well.

The young defender’s future looks exceptionally bright, but England have to hope that his inexperience still shows on what’s forecast to be a sweltering day in Dallas. Keeping Kane locked down is the single most effective way to beat England – but it’s a job that’s proven beyond many centre-backs who are rather longer in the tooth. This will be Vušković’s greatest challenge yet, and his success or failure could determine the final result.