England delivered its biggest UEFA Nations League victory on Saturday, October 3, beating Croatia 7–0 in Rijeka as Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka scored twice each.
UEFA described the result as a record 7–0 defeat for Croatia. It was England’s largest win in the Nations League and Croatia’s heaviest loss in senior men’s international football, according to the Football Association’s post-match statistics.
Four first-half goals put England in control
Kane opened the scoring from a Jude Bellingham pass before Bellingham added the second from an Anthony Gordon cross. Gordon headed in England’s third, and Saka made it 4–0 shortly before halftime.
England continued to press after the break. Kane finished a passing move for his second goal, Saka drove in his second, and substitute Morgan Rogers completed the scoring after rounding goalkeeper Dominik Livaković.
Bellingham finished with a goal and three assists, while Kane’s two goals lifted his England total to 89 in 124 appearances. The captain moved within one appearance of Peter Shilton’s national-team record, Reuters reported.
What the result means for Group A3
The victory moved England to six points from three matches in League A, Group 3. Spain remained three points ahead after beating Czechia 3–1, while Croatia stayed on three points.
England coach Thomas Tuchel called it a complete performance, praising the starters and substitutes for maintaining the same level throughout the match. The result also equaled England’s longest run of consecutive away victories, with nine, according to the FA.
The scoreline was decisive, but the group race is not settled. Nations League teams play six league-phase fixtures, with group position determining who advances to the next stage.
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Featured image: Habib Ayoade/Unsplash. Wembley Stadium shown illustratively; the match was played in Rijeka, Croatia.
Sources
- UEFA Nations League Matchday 3 report, October 3, 2026.
- England Football post-match reaction, October 3, 2026.
- Reuters, October 3, 2026.