Croatia endure record defeat as England roar in Nations League

England ripped apart Croatia on Saturday in a 7‑0 rout at Rijeka, handing the hosts the worst defeat in their national team history on Matchday 3 of the 2026‑27 UEFA Nations League.

Goal floodlights England's firepower

Harry Kane opened the scoring with a top‑corner finish after a pass from Jude Bellingham, becoming only the fourth England player to score in six consecutive away matches. Bukayo Saka added the second goal before the half‑hour mark, and Anthony Gordon made it 3‑0 shortly afterwards. The half‑time score stood at 4‑0 after Saka completed his brace.

Second‑half onslaught seals the scoreline

Kane struck again in the 53rd minute to double his tally, while Saka followed with his second after capitalising on a defensive error. Substitute Morgan Rogers rounded off the scoring, netting the seventh goal in the closing stages.

Historical context of the loss

The 7‑0 margin eclipses Croatia’s previous heaviest home defeat, a 6‑0 loss to Spain in September 2018, which came less than two months after their World Cup final appearance. It also marks the first time a former World Cup finalist has been beaten by seven goals on home soil; Brazil’s 1‑7 loss to Germany in 2014 and Hungary’s 1‑7 defeat to Yugoslavia in 1997 were away fixtures.

Kane joins Shilton with 125 caps for England

Thomas Tuchel’s side collected their second win of the campaign, reinforcing their return to winning ways after an opening‑day loss to Spain.

Also, the result underlines England’s dominance in the group, with multiple players on the scoresheet and a comprehensive display of attacking depth.

Kane matches Shilton’s England cap record as captain adds Nations League milestone

With this victory, England improve their standing in the Nations League, while Croatia face a daunting task to recover from a record‑setting setback.