Kane and Saka at the double as England thrash Croatia 7-0 in Nations League
England beat Croatia 7-0 in Rijeka, delivering their most complete performance under Thomas Tuchel since their World Cup meeting. The win strengthens England’s hold on second place in their Nations League group and their prospects of reaching next year’s quarter-finals.
Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka both scored twice, while Jude Bellingham contributed a goal and three assists. Anthony Gordon and substitute Morgan Rogers also scored; Alex Scott impressed on his full debut, and 6,200 Croatian children watched from the stands after the match was restricted following racist and discriminatory fan behaviour.
- England thrashed Croatia 7-0 in Rijeka.
- Kane and Saka each scored twice.
- Bellingham had a goal and three assists.
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The Nations League is a competition for European national teams, with countries placed in groups and results affecting promotion, relegation and progress to the knockout rounds. England and Croatia are long-standing rivals: they met in the 2018 World Cup semi-final and again at the 2022 World Cup.
England’s squad includes captain Harry Kane, winger Bukayo Saka and midfielder Jude Bellingham, while Thomas Tuchel is the team’s manager. Their group position matters because the leading sides can qualify for the quarter-finals, and points earned in the group determine who advances.
Croatia’s match was restricted after racist and discriminatory behaviour by supporters. The attendance by local children reflects the circumstances under which the game was played and the wider effort to address such conduct in football.