England defeat Croatia 7-0 in Nations League with braces from Kane and Saka
Thomas Tuchel's side scored four first-half goals in Rijeka before adding three more after the break in UEFA Nations League Division A.
First-half dominance in Rijeka
England took control of their UEFA Nations League Division A fixture in Rijeka from the opening minutes on Saturday afternoon. Both teams entered the matchday with full-strength lineups after securing three points from their opening two group games. Harry Kane opened the scoring in the 8th minute after receiving a through-ball from Jude Bellingham and finishing past Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livaković. Anthony Gordon missed a one-on-one chance shortly after, but Bellingham made it 2-0 in the 21st minute by running onto a pass from Gordon into the center of the penalty area. The visitors extended their lead in the 39th minute when defender Jarell Quansah sent a cross from the right wing to the far post, where Gordon scored with a header. Mateo Kovačić created a rare opening for Croatia by dribbling through the English defense, but his shot missed the target. Bukayo Saka added a fourth goal in the 45th minute, converting a low pass across the box following a run along the wing by Bellingham.
Second-half scoring run
Croatia manager Slaven Bilić made three substitutions at the start of the second half to stabilize the defense, but England continued to dictate play. In the 53rd minute, Elliot Anderson maneuvered past Croatian defenders on the right side and delivered a cross into the penalty area for Kane to score his second goal of the match. The strike marked Kane's 89th career goal for the English national team. Bukayo Saka recorded his second goal in the 68th minute, taking advantage of a defensive mistake in an area defended by Luka Vušković. Substitute Morgan Rogers completed the 7-0 victory in the 87th minute, beating Livaković after another assist from Bellingham. Both teams slowed their pace in the closing minutes, with England's defense keeping a clean sheet and preventing any late consolation chances.
- Harry Kane opens the scoring from a Jude Bellingham through-ball.
- Jude Bellingham doubles the lead from an Anthony Gordon assist.
- Anthony Gordon heads in a cross from Jarell Quansah.
- Bukayo Saka finishes from close range following a Jude Bellingham pass.
- Harry Kane scores his second goal of the match from an Elliot Anderson cross.
- Bukayo Saka scores England's sixth goal following a defensive mistake.
- Morgan Rogers scores the seventh goal past Dominik Livaković.
Group standings and tournament record
The victory in Rijeka gave England their second win in the current UEFA Nations League campaign. Thomas Tuchel's team had opened the tournament with a 2-3 loss at home against Spain before securing a 2-0 win over the Czech Republic. Croatia entered the match with an identical points total after defeating the Czech Republic 2-1 and suffering a 1-4 defeat against Spain. The game marked the second encounter between England and Croatia in 2026, following a 4-2 English victory during the group stage of the 2026 World Cup. In that tournament, England topped the group and ultimately claimed the bronze medal, while Croatia finished second in the group and exited in the round of 16.
Upcoming fixtures in October
The seven-goal performance matched the margin of victory recorded by Poland against Romania in their Friday Nations League match. Both teams will conclude their October international fixtures with their fourth matchday games in Division A. Croatia will host Spain in Split, seeking to recover from consecutive defeats in the group. England will return to London to play their upcoming fixture at Wembley Stadium under Tuchel.
