Croatia vs England was supposed to be one of the hardest away trips in the Nations League. Instead it became the worst night in Croatian football history. England won 7-0 at Stadion HNK Rijeka on Saturday, October 3, with Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka scoring twice each and Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon and substitute Morgan Rogers also on the scoresheet.
England were 4-0 up at half time. The match was played behind closed doors because of a UEFA sanction against Croatia, so a team that reached the 2018 World Cup final and the 2022 semi-finals was taken apart in near silence.
Croatia vs England goals: how the seven went in
The scoring timeline below is taken from the FA’s official match report and matches ESPN’s report minute for minute.
| Minute | Scorer | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Harry Kane | 0-1 |
| 21 | Jude Bellingham | 0-2 |
| 39 | Anthony Gordon | 0-3 |
| 45 | Bukayo Saka | 0-4 |
| 53 | Harry Kane | 0-5 |
| 68 | Bukayo Saka | 0-6 |
| 87 | Morgan Rogers | 0-7 |
Kane set the tone inside eight minutes and the visitors never let up. Gordon scored again only four days after he and Kane did the damage in the 2-0 win over Czechia in Prague, and Saka’s second, midway through the second half, made it six before Rogers came off the bench to add the seventh with three minutes left.
The records that fell in Rijeka
This was not just a big win. Several numbers from the night will be quoted for years. Each one below was confirmed by at least two outlets (Planet Football’s stats breakdown, beIN Sports and the FA).
- Croatia’s heaviest defeat ever. Their previous worst was the 6-0 loss to Spain in 2018.
- Croatia’s worst home result by a distance. Before Saturday they had never lost at home by more than three goals. The previous worst was the 4-1 defeat to England in Zagreb in 2008.
- A first for any visiting team. No side had ever scored more than four goals away to Croatia.
- England’s biggest Nations League win. The FA called it a record victory in the competition.
- Bellingham, one goal and three assists. Four goal involvements from midfield in one England game.
- Kane in double figures again. He is the first England player to reach ten or more international goals in three different calendar years, after 12 in 2019 and 16 in 2021.
- Elliot Anderson’s milestone. He reached 20 England caps just 392 days after his debut, the quickest anyone has done it.
Nations League table after matchday three
England’s opening night defeat to Spain still leaves them second, but the goal difference swing in Rijeka matters. Here is League A Group 3 according to ESPN, matched by NBC Sports:
| Team | Played | Goal difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 3 | +6 | 9 |
| England | 3 | +8 | 6 |
| Croatia | 3 | -9 | 3 |
| Czechia | 3 | -5 | 0 |
Croatia’s minus nine is almost entirely this one game. They had already lost 4-1 to Spain in Seville earlier in the window.
Quick explainer: why this group matters
The Nations League is not a friendly series. In League A, the top two in each group go through to the quarter-finals, which the FA says are scheduled for March 2027, with a four team finals tournament in June 2027. The bottom side faces relegation to League B. With three games left, England are in a strong spot for a top two place, while Croatia suddenly have to look over their shoulder at Czechia.
What’s next for England
England host Czechia at Wembley on Tuesday, October 6, with kick-off at 7:45pm BST. That is 2:45pm ET and 11:45pm PKT. England then finish the group against Croatia at home on Thursday, November 12, and away to Spain on Sunday, November 15, both at 7:45pm GMT, according to the FA’s fixture list.
