England's Historic Demolition Sends Croatia to Worst Defeat Ever
England dismantled Croatia 7-0 in Rijeka to deliver the worst defeat in the nation's history, with Kane and Saka both scoring twice in a display of dominance that has Tuchel celebrating and the Croatian press calling it a catastrophe.
England ended any doubts about their Nations League credentials on 3 October with a crushing 7-0 victory over Croatia at Stadion HNK Rijeka, per Sky Sports. The scoreline marked the heaviest defeat in Croatia's national-team history, surpassing their previous low of a 6-0 loss to Spain in September 2018, according to Goal.
Dominance From Start to Finish
England needed just eight minutes to break the deadlock. Harry Kane opened the scoring in the 8th minute, per England Football, setting the tone for a relentless first half. Jude Bellingham added a second in the 21st minute before Anthony Gordon made it 3-0 in the 39th minute, both per England Football. Bukayo Saka struck in the 45th minute, per England Football, sending England in 4-0 up at half-time, per Sky Sports. Kane doubled his tally in the 53rd minute and Saka added his second in the 68th to make it 6-0, before substitute Morgan Rogers capped the rout in the 87th minute, per England Football.
The gulf in class was evident from kickoff. England's fluid movement and precision passing left Croatia's defence in disarray throughout the 90 minutes, the second Nations League win of their 2026-27 campaign on Matchday 3, per Sky Sports.
Tuchel's Assessment of Excellence
Manager Thomas Tuchel was effusive in his praise following the final whistle. He called the performance "a 90-minute performance at the highest level", describing his team as "very impressive" and "so fluid from the start", per Goal. The praise went beyond mere appreciation of the scoreline; it reflected the quality of England's movement, positioning, and execution throughout.
Few international performances deliver such a level of sustained control. The fact that England added three goals after the interval, despite already being four to the good, underlined their refusal to ease off the accelerator. Tuchel's assessment captured a team operating at a standard few can match in this competition.
Scorers
| Scorer | Minutes | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Harry Kane | 8, 53 | 2 |
| Bukayo Saka | 45, 68 | 2 |
| Jude Bellingham | 21 | 1 |
| Anthony Gordon | 39 | 1 |
| Morgan Rogers | 87 | 1 |
The Croatian Reckoning
The response in Croatia was one of deep despair. Manager Slaven Bilic, confronted with the worst night in his country's football history, called it "the biggest defeat of all time" and offered an apology to everyone, per Goal. His words reflected not just the scale of the loss but the weight of responsibility for a performance that fell catastrophically short.
The Croatian media was equally unsparing. The daily newspaper Jutarnji List described the result as an "unnatural, unacceptable catastrophe", per Goal. The previous low, the 6-0 defeat in Spain in 2018, had stood for eight years; this one surpassed it by a goal on home soil.
Nations League Implications
For England, the significance extends beyond the joy of a record victory. The win keeps them firmly in the hunt for a top-two finish and a place in the Nations League quarter-finals, per Goal. In a competition where results can shift rapidly, a performance of this magnitude—and the goal difference that comes with it—provides substantial momentum heading into their remaining group fixtures.
The victory demonstrated not just superiority on the night but the kind of ruthlessness required to win tournaments. England refused to be satisfied with a comfortable lead; instead, they pressed relentlessly and converted their chances with a clinical efficiency that will worry every team remaining in their Nations League group. As the competition moves into its final stages, performances like this one will be remembered as a statement of intent.