Seven for spectacular England in Nations League thrashing of Croatia

England picked up steam in their Nations League campaign with a 7-0 thrashing of Croatia in Rijeka on Saturday. The two familiar foes went head-to-head for the first time since a six-goal thriller in the opening round of this summer’s World Cup, and there was one more goal than that on this occasion – but all of them came from the Three Lions in a scintillating display. In front of a crowd comprising thousands of children, returning Croatian boss Slaven Bilić watched on in horror as his side were schooled by their dominant visitors in a bout that looked like it was pitting boys against men from the very beginning. Harry Kane opened the scoring and added another in the second half, taking his personal England tally to a record-extending 89 goals, with Bukayo Saka similarly on the score sheet twice. That duo’s efforts were interspersed with goals from the brilliant Jude Bellingham – who also finished with three assists – and electric Anthony Gordon before substitute Morgan Rogers put the icing on the cake late on to send Thomas Tuchel’s men into Tuesday’s meeting with the Czech Republic at Wembley brimming with confidence. Relive all of the action as it happened at the Stadion HNK Rijeka below in our dedicated match blog. This live blog is now closed. Report: England’s seven-goal Croatia battering highlights latest ‘what if’ for Tuchel Goal! Croatia 0-7 England (Rogers – 87) Goal! Croatia 0-6 England (Saka – 68′) Goal! Croatia 0-5 England (Kane – 53′) Goal! Croatia 0-4 England (Saka – 45′) Goal! Croatia 0-3 England (Gordon – 39′) Goal! Croatia 0-2 England (Bellingham – 21′) Goal! Croatia 0-1 England (Kane – 8′) Sort: Newest first Oldest first October 3, 2026 7:45 pm Goodbye for now Alex DakersFreelance reporter, live blogger and editor And with that, we will be drawing our live blog coverage to a close for this evening.Thank you all very much for joining us for an exhilarating evening of international footy.There’s more to come for England on Tuesday before club football finally resumes – but for now, it’s good night from me.(With a final reminder that you can read our full match report here.) October 3, 2026 7:40 pm ‘It never stopped!’ – Tuchel praises ‘clinical’ England for ‘complete performance’ And finally, some words from England boss Thomas Tuchel…Tuchel told ITV: “Maybe three minutes after the 3-0 where we had the big mistake [Mateo Kovacic’s opportunity] and some easy ball losses, but that was a 90-minute performance at the highest level from everyone.“From the first until the last minute, everyone who started and everyone came from the bench, it was the highest level and congratulations to the team.“On an away pitch very, very impressive. We created so many chances. The first 40 minutes we were so fluid from the start. I remember looking at the clock, I thought, ‘Wow, this is a good three minutes’, then looked again and it was a good seven minutes.“It just never stopped. We kept the pace up and played through the gaps. We were very clinical. Stayed hungry in our counter-pressing and defending, so we did the basics right. I love the attitude. We always played humble and always got the basics right and that’s why it was a complete performance.” "That was a 90-minute performance of the highest level" "I loved the attitude – we always played humbly" Thomas Tuchel speaks after England's 7-0 victory over Croatia @gabrielclarke05 pic.twitter.com/71zqLTrXw9— ITV Football (@itvfootball) October 3, 2026 October 3, 2026 7:35 pm Scott: England talent ‘frightening’ We’ve heard from Alex Scott now, who my colleague Mark Douglas picked as a stand-out performer on his full debut.Scott, speaking to ITV, said: “No better feeling, first start with a win like that is amazing. The quality in this squad you can see from the first minute; the lads we’ve got in the front line are pretty deadly. Scoring goals with them is pretty easy. It was a great performance from everyone. Defensive line, me and Elliot [Anderson] in midfield. We really wanted to push them as much as possible and we did that today.”Asked about Harry Kane, Scott added: “H is unbelievable. I knew he was ridiculous. I’ve been watching him since I was a little boy, so I knew his level but up close you can really see his level. That’s why he’s being spoken up with Ballon d’Ors and things like that. Jude’s [Bellingham] the same and [Anthony] Gordon and Bukayo [Saka]. It’s frightening the talent we’ve got in this squad.”On coming up against Luka Modric: “It’s pretty surreal to be fair… probably one of my favourite players growing up because I had seen him as a boy. One of the best players in the world on his day. To be on the pitch with him and competing is a great honour and thankfully we got the win today.” "It's surreal – [Modric] was probably one of my favourite players growing up… It was a great honour." Alex Scott on lining up against Luka Modric in his first England start @gabrielclarke05 pic.twitter.com/1cxJtRtIDf— ITV Football (@itvfootball) October 3, 2026 October 3, 2026 7:26 pm ‘Every man was at the highest level’ – Kane on ‘perfect end to the week’ Here’s some more from Kane…“Unbelievable from start to finish. We spoke a lot about having a 90-minute game from start to finish, being completely dominant with the ball and without the ball. That was it right there. We’re at our best when we’re free and when we’re physically overpowering and making it a Premier League level. You saw that out there today. They couldn’t live with our pace, our runs.“There was freedom. All four of us [himself, Gordon, Bellingham and Saka] are good players, and we can play in the 10 pocket, we can play as a nine. It is so hard for the opposition to pick it up. The bottom line is if you lose the ball, we’re all smart enough and good enough to cover midfield or defence. That is the way we want to play. It was so hard for them to pick a man and press.“Every man was at the highest level. It was an important game, they rested a lot of players on Tuesday. I feel they saw this as their best opportunity to get into those top two spots. During the week beautiful weather, an amazing hotel, looking out to the ocean. We could have fallen into that holiday mode. An unusual camp for us. We have never been away that long. The perfect end to the week.” "They couldn't live with our pace, movement or runs"Captain Harry Kane speaks to Gabriel Clarke about the fluidity in England's front four attacking positions @gabrielclarke05 pic.twitter.com/bnxutFzrVc— ITV Football (@itvfootball) October 3, 2026 October 3, 2026 7:20 pm Kane set to equal all-time England appearances record Harry Kane said he is “ready to start” against the Czech Republic at Wembley on Tuesday after his 70th-minute substitution tonight.The England captain would equal Peter Shilton’s all-time record of 125 appearances for the Three Lions if he does so.“It would be nice,” Kane told ITV reporters about that milestone. “That is why [Tuchel] takes me off, to save me for the next one!” October 3, 2026 7:12 pm Report: England’s seven-goal Croatia battering highlights latest ‘what if’ for Tuchel Mark DouglasNorthern Football Correspondent England’s ran rampant against Croatia in Rijeka (Photo: AP)STADION HNK RIJEKA – Poor Thomas Tuchel. Even when his team deliver a performance as breathtaking as this – a display among their best ever away from Wembley – he’s doomed to be buried by ‘what ifs’.An ageing Croatia on a cool October’s night is not the same as Argentina in the white heat of a World Cup semi-final in Atlanta. But, for the third successive game, Tuchel picked a team to tear into the opposition and the regrets flowed almost as freely as the goals against the desperate Croatians.The biggest one here? Alex Scott. The brilliant Bournemouth playmaker was available to Tuchel in the summer but he was overlooked in favour of Jordan Henderson and Kobbie Mainoo.Scott was in Orlando before the serious stuff started but Tuchel took him as a training player, not even rewarding him with a first cap in the pre-tournament scratch games. As far as misjudgments go, that is an all-timer.Veteran Henderson got the nod instead, largely for vibes and to act as Jude Bellingham’s minder during the tournament. Henderson might be a good tourist, but the folly of that approach came home to roost against Argentina, when England had only one gear and it was reverse.What could Scott have done in that game, dovetailing with the equally industrious Elliot Anderson as he did here?We’ll never know, but it has to be an option for England going forward. They were so good in Rijeka that it felt like the absent Declan Rice has been formally put on notice. October 3, 2026 6:53 pm FT: Croatia 0-7 England The referee has seen enough. Full-time: Croatia nil, England SEVEN.Nine straight away wins for England outside of major competitions equals a record that has stood since 1967.Croatia suffer their heaviest defeat.Full report, reaction and analysis to come! October 3, 2026 6:51 pm Analysis: Hall an unsung hero Kevin GarsideChief Sports Correspondent Among the many standout displays, Lewis Hall has transformed England’s left side. What a difference it makes to have a left footed player in the left back position, quick and alert in defence, electric on the break with outstanding technical qualities.Omitting him in the summer just one of Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup regrets. October 3, 2026 6:49 pm Analysis: SEVEN to nil Mark DouglasNorthern Football Correspondent Reporting from Stadion HNK RijekaWe’re into the realms of spelling out the score on the vidi-printer. SEVEN-nil thanks to a fine run and finish from Morgan Rogers. Croatia have done a good impression of Andorra here but England have kept their foot on the throttle throughout. Proper marker, this. October 3, 2026 6:48 pm Goal! Croatia 0-7 England (Rogers – 87) 87mins: Morgan Rogers gets in on the act!Great run by the substitute having picked up the ball from Bellingham – now on three assists to go with his goal – before nudging it around Livakovic and slotting home.SEVENTH heaven for England! Morgan Rogers is the latest player to put his name on the scoresheet… pic.twitter.com/H5txZRVgLC— ITV Football (@itvfootball) October 3, 2026Add another shot on target to my previous post! October 3, 2026 6:46 pm Stats tell the story Croatia 0-6 EnglandNine (9) shots on target for England, who have gone for goal 18 times overall.Zero (0) for Croatia, from 10 total attempts.Sums it up, really. October 3, 2026 6:45 pm Bellingham finally running out of steam? Croatia 0-6 England85mins: Rogers finds Saka, who finds Bellingham.The England No10 has been excellent today but can’t quite beat his man this time and the ball goes out for a goal-kick. October 3, 2026 6:40 pm MGW and MLS on Croatia 0-6 England79mins: Two England changes now.Lewis Hall off, Myles Lewis-Skelly on.Elliot Anderson off, Morgan Gibbs-White on.Tuchel shuffles his pack (Photo: AP)Interestingly, it looks like the versatile Lewis-Skelly will resume his recent central midfield role, with James Garner dropping into the left-back slot vacated by Hall. October 3, 2026 6:37 pm England still pushing for more Croatia 0-6 England77mins: Another Anderson corner is cleared.Stanisic goes off for Sutalo. October 3, 2026 6:36 pm Close to seven as Saka shoots wide Croatia 0-6 England73mins: Saka has a chance for a hat-trick of his own but shoots off target after being found by Morgan Rogers from the byline. October 3, 2026 6:32 pm England triple change as Kane, Gordon, Scott go off Croatia 0-6 England70mins: As promised, there are those England changes.Harry Kane and Anthony Gordon have both been superb today and throughout this international break, earning their early exit before Tuesday’s game against the Czechs at Wembley (though you wonder if Kane would have fancied getting another shot at a hat-trick here).Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze replace them.Also going off is Alex Scott, who has been similarly excellent in a forward-thinking midfield role on his first start for his country. What an occasion for the Bournemouth man.James Garner comes on for the final stretch. October 3, 2026 6:29 pm Analysis: Unstoppable England Mark DouglasNorthern Football Correspondent Reporting from Stadion HNK RijekaBlimey! October 3, 2026 6:28 pm Goal! Croatia 0-6 England (Saka – 68′) 68mins: But before Tuchel can even shuffle his pack, Saka slots home England’s sixth goal of this terribly one-sided game.An awful backpass by Croatia is chested down by Bukayo Saka in the box, with Harry Kane electing to play it back to his winger rather than try for his hat-trick and Saka rifles it high over the helpless Dominik Livakovic.It's a GIFT for England! Bukayo Saka has his second… The Three Lions are relentless. pic.twitter.com/33a8oxd3be— ITV Football (@itvfootball) October 3, 2026 October 3, 2026 6:27 pm England changes incoming Croatia 0-5 England67mins: The rapid Anthony Gordon and relentless Harry Kane amongst those putting Croatia under continued pressure as Thomas Tuchel looks to make some changes, resting legs no doubt with an eye on Tuesday’s Wembley meeting with the Czech Republic.James Garner and Eberechi Eze getting ready… October 3, 2026 6:26 pm Analysis: English DNA? How’s that, Thomas? Kevin GarsideChief Sports Correspondent Croatia were often cited as an example of the kind of technical team England could never be. Something about DNA, control being culturally alien to the blood and thunder of the English way…Well, England are levels above here, outclassing a decent team away from home. Thomas Tuchel will have to revise his own reading of the English character at this rate. And remember, England had a penalty chance for a 3-1 lead against Spain at Wembley. Narrative might have been entirely different had Kane hit the net instead of the bar.