England defeated Croatia 7β0 in the UEFA Nations League on Saturday, October 3, 2026, in Rijeka, with Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham leading the visiting attack. The victory moves the Three Lions to six points, drawing level with group leaders Spain.
Rijeka Rout Draws England Level With Spain in Group Standings
The match was played behind closed doors for disciplinary reasons, though more than 6,000 children and approximately 100 visiting supporters attended. England manager Thomas Tuchel deployed an aggressive pressing strategy that overwhelmed Croatia from the opening whistle.
Bellingham and Kane Dominate Scoresheet as Croatia Defense Collapses
Jude Bellingham doubled the lead in the 21st minute by converting a cross from Anthony Gordon. Gordon added a third in the 39th minute with a diving header following a Jarell Quansah cross. Bukayo Saka scored just before halftime to make it 4β0. In the second half, Kane secured his brace in the 53rd minute from an Elliot Anderson delivery, bringing his record to 21 goals in his last 22 appearances. Saka added his second in the 68th minute, and substitute Morgan Rogers capped the scoring in the 87th minute with an assist from Bellingham.
Managerial Reaction and Standing Implications After the Seven-Goal Margin
βI think on the pitch we showed the hunger, the passion, and the quality that we have. This performance was a mix of everything we look for as an England team,β Bukayo Saka told ITV Sport after the final whistle. Manager Thomas Tuchel praised the completeness of the display across all ninety minutes. The result leaves England on six points from two matches following a 2β0 victory in Prague on Tuesday, matching Spain’s points total in the group standings.
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