England Thrash Croatia To Record Biggest Ever Away Win Over Vatreni
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| Croatia Vs England |
England inflicted the heaviest defeat in Croatia's international history with a stunning 7-0 thrashing in Rijeka, as Harry Kane's double saw him become the first Three Lions player in 78 years to score in six consecutive away games.
Kane brace inspires record-breaking England rout of Croatia in Rijeka...
England handed sorry Croatia a harsh lesson in Nations League schooling.
Harry Kane became the first England player in 78 years to score in six straight away games as his double helped Thomas Tuchel's side thrash Croatia 7-0 in Rijeka, and emphatically tighten their grip on second place in UEFA Nations League Group A3.
On paper, this was a behind-closed-doors fixture, as part of Croatia's sanction for crowd trouble during the 2024/25 Nations League play-offs.
The hosts, however, exploited a UEFA loophole by inviting 6,000 children, ensuring the Stadion HNK Rijeka was far from silent.
It was the deeper roar of 100 England fans that rang out in just the eighth minute, though, when Croatia’s backline afforded Harry Kane far too much space and he took Jude Bellingham’s through ball in his stride before rifling emphatically into the top corner.
With the hosts reeling, Bellingham soon got on the scoresheet himself when Anthony Gordon brilliantly brought down Bukayo Saka’s deep cross and drilled it towards the near post for the Real Madrid star to prod past Dominik Livakovic.
Gordon was a constant threat during a one-sided first half, and he headed in from Jarrell Quansah's inviting delivery to make it three, with the assist vindicating Tuchel's decision to recall the Bayer Leverkusen defender.
A fourth quickly followed when Saka tapped in from Bellingham's cut-back after being left completely unmarked inside the six-yard box.
Unsurprisingly, Slaven Bilic made three changes at the interval, but little changed as Kane grabbed his second within eight minutes of the restart, sliding in at the far post from Elliot Anderson's low, driven cross.
In doing so, he ensured England became the first team to score five away goals against Croatia.
By this stage, the children in attendance had lost interest, so they may have been spared Josip Stanisic's careless pass that gifted Saka the chance to play a one-two with Kane before blasting in England's sixth.
A phenomenal performance in Croatia 👏 pic.twitter.com/ecRMYl7tSZ
— England (@England) October 3, 2026
There was still time for Morgan Rogers to get in on the act, too, as he latched onto a long ball forward and calmly rounded the goalkeeper to make it seventh heaven for the visitors and compound Croatia's misery as they suffered their heaviest defeat in international football.
As a result of the statement victory, the Three Lions have temporarily moved level on points with leaders Spain, and crucially, three points clear of Croatia in the battle for a top-two finish.
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