England delivered a masterclass in attacking football on Saturday, overwhelming a struggling Croatia side 7-0 in the Nations League. The match, hosted at the Stadion HNK Rijeka, saw Thomas Tuchel’s squad secure their second win in three group matches through a clinical display that featured braces from Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka.
Captain Harry Kane led the charge, extending his England scoring record to 89 goals. The Bayern Munich striker opened the scoring in the eighth minute after latching onto a precise through ball from Jude Bellingham, following an initial build-up play involving debutant Alex Scott. Kane’s second goal arrived shortly after halftime, as he converted a cross from Anderson in the 53rd minute to continue his impressive away-scoring streak. But the Bayern Munich striker was far from the only standout performer for England. Making his first start for England, was the catalyst with a composed pass to Bellingham, bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott.
Bukayo Saka proved equally lethal, adding a goal just before the interval after a skillful assist from Bellingham. The Arsenal winger secured his second of the night in the 68th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error by the Croatia backline to net England’s sixth. The victory marked the most significant win for England since Thomas Tuchel assumed the managerial helm. It was child’s play for England as they demolished ageing Croatia to disappoint the youthful crowd, but with the Adriatic shimmering in the sun just yards from the stadium. Tuchel’s men took just eight minutes to go ahead with an incisive raid that exposed the talent gap between the sides. And Kane took a deft touch before stroking a clinical finish into the roof of the net from 10 yards (nine metres), bellingham slipped an equally measured ball in behind the flat-footed Croatia defence.
Jude Bellingham was central to the team’s creative dominance, contributing three assists and a goal of his own. His 21st-minute strike concluded a methodical 27-pass sequence. Later, Anthony Gordon continued his own hot streak by heading in a pinpoint cross from Jarell Quansah in the 39th minute. Quansah’s inclusion in the starting lineup was a notable tactical decision by Tuchel, serving as a successful response to critics who questioned the choice over Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Substitute Morgan Rogers rounded off the scoring in the 87th minute, dribbling past goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic to finalize the 7-0 rout following a pass from Bellingham. The result was a stark contrast to their previous encounter in June, where England defeated Croatia by a tighter 4-2 margin during their World Cup group opener.
The atmosphere at the Stadion HNK Rijeka was notably muted compared to the hostile environments typically associated with Croatian venues. The fixture was held behind closed doors due to fan disturbances during a 2025 match against France. Attendance was limited to approximately 6,000 local schoolchildren and 100 England supporters. Which was played “behind closed doors “because of crowd trouble involving Croatia fans against France in 2025, that should be a slightly more raucous occasion than this tie.
In the lead-up to the match, Tuchel had expressed concern regarding the team’s mental preparation after players were seen relaxing in the nearby Adriatic Sea. The manager explicitly warned his squad against falling into “holiday mode,” a caution that proved effective as the team maintained intensity throughout the contest. Prompting Tuchel to warn the relaxed mood in the camp must not put his team into “holiday mode”, england’s players had taken a dip in the nearby Adriatic Sea earlier in the week.
England now turns its attention to a home fixture against the Czech Republic at Wembley on Tuesday. This upcoming match carries extra significance as the team pushes for a top-two finish in the group, which would guarantee a spot in the Nations League quarterfinals scheduled for March.
