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England routed Croatia 7-0 in Rijeka as Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka both scored twice and Jude Bellingham starred with a goal and assists. The win keeps England in the top two of their Nations League group ahead of Tuesday's match against the Czech Republic.
England produced one of their most dominant performances in recent years as they dismantled Croatia 7-0 in the Nations League on Saturday in Rijeka. Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka both scored twice, Jude Bellingham starred with a goal and three assists, and Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers also netted.
The victory was the biggest win of Thomas Tuchel's England era and made it two wins from their first three matches in their Nations League group. England captain Kane's double extended his record international goal tally to 89. Bellingham, restored to the starting line-up after Tuesday's 2-0 win against the Czech Republic, capped a vibrant display that also featured three assists. Gordon's goal made it four goals in his last four England matches.
England Dominate Croatia and Edge Closer
Substitute Rogers completed the rout in the 87th minute. Chasing a top-two finish to secure a spot in the Nations League quarter-finals in March, England conclude the international break against the Czech Republic at Wembley on Tuesday. Another three points would put them on the brink of qualification for March's quarter-finals. The match was played behind closed doors because of crowd trouble involving Croatia fans against France in 2025.
Around 6,000 local schoolchildren and about 100 England supporters were allowed into the Stadion HNK Rijeka, creating a subdued environment in a country known for hostile atmospheres. England's players had taken a dip in the nearby Adriatic Sea earlier in the week, prompting Tuchel to warn that the relaxed mood in the camp must not put his team into holiday mode.
With the Adriatic shimmering in the sun just yards from the stadium, it was child's play for England as they demolished an ageing Croatia. Tuchel's men took just eight minutes to go ahead with an incisive raid. Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, making his first start for England, was the catalyst with a composed pass to Bellingham, who slipped an equally measured ball in behind the flat-footed Croatia defence.
Kane took a deft touch before stroking a clinical finish into the roof of the net from 10 yards. England had too much pace and poise for Croatia and it was no surprise when Bellingham increased their advantage at the end of a flowing 27-pass move in the 21st minute.
Bellingham and Kane Drive Rout
Saka's cross was too high for his team-mates, but Gordon adroitly controlled the ball in mid-air and whipped it back into the six-yard box, where Bellingham stretched to poke into the far corner. Gordon put the result beyond doubt in the 39th minute, diving to meet Jarell Quansah's pin-point cross with an agile header that flashed past Dominik Livakovic from six yards.
Quansah's assist was a timely riposte to critics who said Tuchel was wrong to select him instead of Trent Alexander-Arnold after the Real Madrid right-back made his first England start in nearly two years against the Czech Republic. England beat Croatia 4-2 in June in their opening World Cup group game, but this was a far more one-sided encounter.
Bellingham was in irrepressible mood, driving into the Croatia area and baffling Luka Modric with a smooth drag-back before crossing low towards Saka, who slotted home from close range on the stroke of half-time to make it 4-0. Croatia should have reduced the deficit after Manchester City's Mateo Kovacic danced past three challenges following Elliot Anderson's slip, but he embarrassingly shot wide from six yards with the goal gaping.
England showed no mercy after the interval and Kane netted again in the 53rd minute, sliding in to convert Anderson's cross after a patient passing move and a one-two with Saka. Bellingham could have brought up the half-dozen when Gordon sent him clear but he stabbed wide. The sixth did come in the 68th minute as Saka got his second after he intercepted Josip Stanisic's wayward pass then got it back off Kane to fire home.
Rogers Caps England Attacking Triumph
He should have been celebrating a hat-trick soon after but somehow skied a far-post effort from a yard out. Rogers came off the bench to put the seal on England's swaggering display, rounding Livakovic to net from Bellingham's 87th-minute pass. It was a free-flowing performance that will fuel huge excitement about what this side is capable of achieving with a set of attacking players at the top of their game.
England have had plenty of high-stakes battles with Croatia over the last eight years, but Slaven Bilic's outfit are now a far cry from the team that made it to the 2018 World Cup final and the semi-finals four years later. This was officially a behind-closed-doors game as Croatia were punished for their fans' racist behaviour in a 2025 match against France. The 6,000 schoolchildren in attendance had to watch as their country was taught a lesson.
Kane and Saka both scored twice and got an assist, Bellingham notched one and made two others, while Gordon scored one and created another. Substitute Rogers added a late seventh as Tuchel's side posted a memorable victory.
IrishTimes
The42_ie:This story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
England National Football Team Croatia National Football Team UEFA Nations League Harry Kane Bukayo Saka England 7-0 Croatia Nations League Thomas Tuchel
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