Nations League Gameweek 3
Croatia
Oct 3, 2026 5.00pm
0
7
HT : 0 4
FT Stadion HNK Rijeka
England
  • Mateo Kovacic 68' yellowcard
  • goal Harry Kane  8'
  • goal Jude Bellingham 21'
  • goal Anthony Gordon 39'
  • goal Bukayo Saka 45'
  • goal Harry Kane  53'
  • goal Bukayo Saka 68'
  • goal Morgan Rogers 87'

Croatia 0-7 England: Highlights, stats, man of the match as Three Lions strike seven in thrilling win

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Seven heaven! Croatia stunned by electric England in Nations League demolition
© Iconsport / PA Images

England secured a stunning 7-0 victory at Stadion HNK Rijeka in the UEFA Nations League on Saturday evening, handing Croatia their biggest-ever defeat.

England got off to a flying start when Harry Kane opened the scoring after just eight minutes, setting the tempo for an electric first 45 minutes from the Three Lions.

Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka joined Kane on the scoresheet, leaving England with a commanding 4-0 lead at half-time. 

The Three Lions' humiliation of Croatia continued in the second half, with Kane grabbing his second of the night just eight minutes after the restart to make it 5-0 to England.

Saka added his second and England's sixth in the 68th minute, with Morgan Rogers rounding off the scoring with a seventh for the Three Lions in the 87th minute to seal a sensational triumph.

SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT

England produced potentially their best performance of Thomas Tuchel's tenure against Croatia tonight. 

The German's side were dominant from minute one, constantly pressing high up the pitch and forcing Croatia into countless errors, while also demonstrating superb interchanges from their attacking players in the final third. 

The high tempo, high intensity and forward-thinking nature of the performance will be exactly what Tuchel and England fans want to see every game, especially after the disappointment of their rather passive eventual elimination to Argentina at the World Cup. 

The understanding of England's front four will be particularly pleasing to see, with Kane, Gordon, Saka and Bellingham all constantly switching positions and freeing up space for others to attack into. 

For all of the positives displayed by England, the Three Lions were also helped by the immense shortcomings of Croatia, who looked physically and mentally miles off it this evening. 

That will come as a huge concern to Slaven Bilic, whose side will now face Spain on Tuesday, where a win against the world champions may be needed to give them any chance of ensuring their League A status remains intact.

CROATIA VS. ENGLAND HIGHLIGHTS

Harry Kane goal vs. Croatia (8th min, Croatia 0-1 England)

Kane scores for England!

Josko Gvardiol cheaply gives the ball away, and England work it forward to Alex Scott and then Jude Bellingham.

Bellingham patiently waits for an opening and slips a pass through to Kane, who takes one touch and fires into the top left corner.

Jude Bellingham goal vs. Croatia (21st min, Croatia 0-2 England)

Bellingham makes it two!

Bukayo Saka's cross into the box looks to be overhit, but Anthony Gordon superbly keeps the chance alive with a fantastic first touch. 

Gordon's touch takes him to the byline, where the winger fires a low cross for Bellingham to tap home from close range.

Anthony Gordon goal vs. Croatia (39th min, Croatia 0-3 England)

Gordon heads home a third for England!

Kane finds Jarell Quansah on the right flank, and the full-back whips a bouncing delivery towards the back post. 

Gordon beats his marker to the cross and powerfully heads into the top corner, giving England a third.

Bukayo Saka goal vs. Croatia (45th min, Croatia 0-4 England)

Saka scores for England! The Three Lions have four!

Bellingham receives the ball back from Gordon just inside the left of the penalty area, and the midfielder twists, turns and crosses into the box. 

The low delivery finds Saka unmarked in the centre of the six-yard box, and the winger makes no mistakes with his finish.

Harry Kane goal vs. Croatia (53rd min, Croatia 0-5 England)

Five for England! Kane has a brace!

Elliot Anderson fantastically combines with Saka to allow the midfielder to burst into the box.

Anderson threads a delightful delivery towards the back post, where Kane is there to slide and tap home.

Bukayo Saka goal vs. Croatia (68th min, Croatia 0-6 England)

Saka strikes for six!

Josip Stanisic's stray pass goes to Saka in the Croatia box, and the ball bounces off the winger to Kane. 

Kane stabs the ball back through to Saka, who lifts his effort over the goalkeeper and into the top-left corner.

Morgan Rogers goal vs. Croatia (87th min, Croatia 0-7 England)

Rogers gets in on the action! England have a seventh!

Bellingham lofts a ball over the top of the Croatia defence for Rogers to race onto. 

Rogers drives into the penalty area, easily rounds Dominik Livakovic and slots into the gaping net. 

MAN OF THE MATCH - HARRY KANE

© Iconsport / PA Images

England's entire front four were deserving of this award, each getting on the scoresheet and producing sublime attacking performances against the largely helpless Croatia.

However, our pick of the bunch is England's captain Kane, who produced a fantastic all-round performance alongside scoring a brace and registering an assist.

The Croatia defence struggled to deal with Kane's constant movements into deeper positions, allowing players to burst past the striker, while the Bayern Munich forward was also in the right place at the right time to twice get on the scoresheet.

CROATIA VS. ENGLAND MATCH STATS

Possession: Croatia 36%-64% England

Shots: Croatia 12-19 England

Shots on target: Croatia 1-10 England

Corners: Croatia 1-6 England

Fouls: Croatia 10-6 England

BEST STATS

WHAT NEXT?

England will play their final match of the current international break when they take on Czech Republic on Tuesday night. 

Meanwhile, Croatia will aim to bounce back from tonight's miserable defeat when they face world champions Spain.

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