England Crush Croatia 7-0 in UEFA Nations League

England Deliver Record 7-0 Win Over Croatia in Rijeka

Tempatdonasi.com – England produced an overwhelming display in Rijeka on Saturday, October 3, 2026, defeating Croatia 7-0 in the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League. The result was England’s largest margin of victory in the history of this fixture and Croatia’s heaviest defeat on home soil.

Played without spectators due to a UEFA sanction imposed after crowd trouble during Croatia’s Nations League match with France last year, the contest quickly became a one-sided occasion. Thomas Tuchel’s team pressed aggressively from the opening minutes and never allowed Croatia a route back into the match.

Harry Kane scored twice, while Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, Bukayo Saka and Morgan Rogers also found the net. Saka added two goals of his own as England completed a ruthless performance that extended their unbeaten sequence against Croatia to five games, dating back to the 2018 World Cup.

England Strike Early and Build a Four-Goal Half-Time Lead

England signalled their intent almost immediately. Gordon broke beyond the Croatian back line and tested goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic with a left-footed effort, setting the tone for a difficult evening for the hosts.

Kane opened the scoring in the eighth minute after Bellingham supplied a precise pass through the Croatian defence. England’s captain took advantage of the space and finished past Livakovic to give his side an early lead.

The second goal arrived in the 21st minute. Saka sent in a delivery from the right, Gordon brought the ball under control and drove a low cross across goal. Bellingham timed his run perfectly and converted to make it 2-0.

Croatia could not contain England’s movement in wide areas. Gordon added a third in the 39th minute, heading Jarell Quansah’s cross toward the far corner beyond Livakovic. England then moved four goals ahead before the interval when Saka scored in the 45th minute.

The scoreline at the break reflected England’s control. Their passing, pressing and pace in attack repeatedly exposed a Croatia side that struggled to slow down the visitors’ forward play.

Kane and Saka Add Further Goals

There was no let-up after the restart. Seven minutes into the second half, Kane completed his brace following a flowing England move. Elliot Anderson delivered a low ball from the right, and Kane converted to stretch the lead to 5-0.

That goal underlined the scale of England’s dominance, with Croatia increasingly unable to match the intensity or recover possession in dangerous areas. The hosts’ difficult night worsened in the 68th minute when Josip Stanisic lost the ball in his own defensive third. Saka reacted quickly, scoring from close range for his second goal of the evening.

Rogers completed the scoring in the 87th minute. He beat the offside line, took the ball around Livakovic and finished calmly to seal the 7-0 result.

No further goals followed, but England had already secured a landmark victory. For Croatia, the defeat became the worst result in the national team’s history and eclipsed their previous heaviest home loss.

Group A3 Picture

The win leaves England second in Nations League Group A3 on six points. They are one point behind Spain, who were due to face the Czech Republic early on Sunday morning at 01:30 WIB.

Croatia remain third with three points, while the Czech Republic sit bottom of the group on one point. England’s emphatic scoreline could also carry importance as the group campaign develops, with goal difference often becoming relevant in tightly contested standings.

Beyond the points, the performance offered England a statement result. Kane’s finishing, Bellingham’s influence between the lines, Saka’s direct threat and Gordon’s contribution showed the range of attacking options available to Tuchel’s squad. The clean sheet, meanwhile, completed an evening in which England controlled both ends of the pitch.

Teams

Croatia began in a 4-2-3-1 formation: Dominik Livakovic; Josip Stanisic, replaced by Sutalo in the 76th minute, Josko Gvardiol, Luka Vuskovic and Ivan Perisic; Mateo Kovacic and Luka Modric, replaced by Jakic in the 56th minute; Franjo Ivanovic, Petar Sucic, replaced by Pasalic at half-time, Martin Baturina, replaced by Vlasic at half-time, and Petar Musa, replaced by Matanovic at half-time.

England also used a 4-2-3-1: Jordan Pickford; Jarell Quansah, Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa and Lewis Hall, replaced by Lewis-Skelly in the 79th minute; Alex Scott, replaced by Garner in the 69th minute, and Elliot Anderson, replaced by Gibbs-White in the 79th minute; Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and Anthony Gordon, replaced by Rogers in the 69th minute; Harry Kane, replaced by Eze in the 69th minute.