England produced their biggest statement under Thomas Tuchel by beating Croatia 7-0 in Rijeka in the UEFA Nations League. Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka scored twice each, Jude Bellingham contributed a goal and three assists, and Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers completed a historic away rout.
Croatia had never previously lost a senior men's international by seven goals. England did not rely on a late collapse to reach that margin: they led 4-0 at halftime and continued to create clear chances after the interval.
Croatia vs England result at a glance
- Full time: Croatia 0-7 England
- Competition: UEFA Nations League, League A Group 3
- Venue: Stadion HNK Rijeka
- England scorers: Harry Kane 2, Bukayo Saka 2, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, Morgan Rogers
- Group position: England second on six points, behind Spain on nine
England's performance combined fast attacking runs with aggressive pressing after losing possession. Croatia's experienced midfield could not slow the game, and mistakes in their own half were punished immediately.
How England built a 4-0 first-half lead
Kane opened the scoring shortly after seven minutes. Joško Gvardiol lost possession, Bellingham released the England captain and Kane finished between the defenders. The pattern established the central problem for Croatia: England were reaching dangerous spaces before the defensive line could reset.
Bellingham added the second in the 21st minute after Gordon returned Saka's cross into the area. Gordon then made it 3-0 in the 39th minute, meeting Jarell Quansah's delivery with a first-time finish.
Saka scored England's fourth just before halftime from another Bellingham delivery. By that stage, Croatia were not merely behind; they were being forced to defend attacks arriving from both central and wide positions.
MatchUpWorld's earlier report on Spain's 4-1 win over Croatia showed how vulnerable Croatia had already looked against pace and direct movement. England intensified those problems.
Kane and Saka complete their doubles
Elliot Anderson created Kane's second with a low cross in the 53rd minute. The goal took Kane to 89 for England in 124 appearances and placed him within one appearance of Peter Shilton's long-standing national-team caps record.
Saka scored again in the 68th minute after Josip Stanišić misplaced a pass across his own penalty area. Bellingham then released substitute Morgan Rogers to score the seventh with three minutes remaining.
Bellingham's influence extended beyond his goal. His three assists reflected how often he received the ball facing forward and how quickly he identified the next run. Croatia could not decide whether to step towards him or protect the space behind their defence.
What the result means for Group A3
England moved to six points from three Nations League matches. Spain remained three points ahead after beating the Czech Republic 3-1, so the group is still under Spain's control despite England's huge improvement in goal difference.
Croatia remain on three points, while the Czech Republic have none. England's next match is against the Czechs, providing an opportunity to build on the performance rather than allowing the 7-0 result to become an isolated peak.
The unusually large score should not hide the competitive situation. England still have work to do to win the group, and Spain's perfect start means even a record night in Rijeka did not move Tuchel's team into first place.
A result bigger than the scoreline
The most encouraging feature for England was the consistency of the performance. They pressed, recovered and attacked with the same intensity after establishing control. The goals came from several routes: transition, crosses, a forced error and a late run behind the line.
Croatia will need to examine both their protection of central areas and their response after turnovers. Against elite opponents, those moments became immediate shots rather than recoverable mistakes.
England's next test is whether the same spacing and counter-press survive in a match where the opponent sits deeper and offers fewer transition opportunities. A record score can lift confidence, but Tuchel's more useful takeaway will be the repeatable patterns that created chances before Croatia's shape began to unravel.
The match details and group context were verified through the official England match centre and Reuters' match report.
Frequently asked questions
Who scored in Croatia 0-7 England?
Kane and Saka scored twice each. Bellingham, Gordon and Rogers also scored.
Was 7-0 Croatia's heaviest defeat?
Yes. It was the heaviest defeat in Croatia's senior men's international history.
Where are England in the Nations League group?
England are second in League A Group 3 with six points, three behind Spain.
