Inglaterra's early onslaught sets tone against Croatia
Inglaterra delivered a historic 7‑0 victory over Croatia at the Estádio HNK Rijeka in the UEFA Nations League, the Liga, with goals from Kane, Saka, Bellingham, Gordon and Rogers. Foto: Esporte News Mundo Uma captures the magnitude of the win for the Three Lions.
The match began with Gordon testing Livakovic after one minute, his effort saved by the Croatian keeper. Minutes later Bellingham seized a defensive error, threading a pass to Kane who struck home to make it 1‑0. Inglaterra's pressure continued unabated, forcing several more saves from Livakovic.
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Saka soon doubled the tally, finding the net twice as the Inglaterra side piled on chances. Gordon's first goal arrived after a cross from Saka, with the striker slotting the ball past Livakovic. Bellingham added a fourth, curling a low cross that the goalkeeper could not prevent.
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Croatia's first real threat came when Musa headed the ball wide, then linked with Kovacic for a missed chance that left the net empty. Manager Slaven Bilic responded by introducing Pasalic, Vlasic and Matanovic, aiming to add physicality and stem the Inglaterra tide. Matanovic's shot forced a save from Pickford, signalling a brief resurgence.
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The fifth goal arrived when Anderson lofted a ball to Kane, who stretched to finish past the keeper. Shortly after, Saka received a low cross from Bellingham and fed Kane, who set up Arsenal striker for his second goal of the night. Thomas Tuchel then brought on Rogers and Eze, with Rogers netting the seventh after a Bellingham assist, sealing the record win.
The result lifts Inglaterra to second place with six points, a game behind La Roja, who will host Croatia on Tuesday. Inglaterra will meet the league's bottom side, the Czech Republic, at home in the next round. Croatia, meanwhile, must recover as they face Espanha, the group leaders, in their upcoming fixture.
The victory set several records: it marked the heaviest defeat Croatia has ever suffered and the highest tally Inglaterra have ever recorded in a Nations League fixture. The seven‑goal margin also stands as the largest margin of victory in the head‑to‑head history between the two nations.
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Livakovic was called upon repeatedly, making saves in the first half before conceding each goal. Pickford, Inglaterra's goalkeeper, also had to deny a close‑range effort from Matanovic. Tuchel's late substitutions, including Rogers and Eze, ensured the pressure never eased as the final whistle blew.