England Crushes Croatia 7-0 In Nations League Rout

Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka each scored two goals as England defeated Croatia 7-0 in a Nations League match played in Rijeka on Saturday. The result marks a decisive victory for the team managed by Thomas Tuchel, who extended his international goal record to 89 with his brace.

Kane opened the scoring in the eighth minute, controlling a pass from Jude Bellingham before curling the ball into the top left corner. Bellingham added to the lead midway through the first half by poking in a cross from Anthony Gordon. Gordon then headed in a right-wing cross from Jarell Quansah, while Saka side-footed in England's fourth goal before halftime.

The second half saw the margin widen further. After a quick break, Elliot Anderson curled a cross from the right, allowing Kane to slide in at the back post for his second goal. In the 68th minute, poor defending by Croatia left the ball at Kane's feet, and he passed it to Saka for his second of the game. Substitute Morgan Rogers finished the match by controlling Bellingham's pass with his heel and slotting in from an angle.

Tuchel described the performance as "very impressive," noting that England created numerous chances and maintained fluidity throughout the first 40 minutes. "We just kept the pace up and played through the gaps," Tuchel said. "We were very, very clinical." Kane added that the team was at its best when physically overpowering opponents, stating that Croatia could not match England's pace and movement.

The 7-0 scoreline eclipses England's previous highest win against Croatia, a 5-1 victory in World Cup qualifying in 2009 at Wembley. Following the win, Tuchel's side moved to six points from three games. For Croatia, coach Slaven Bilic faced another difficult match following a 4-1 loss to Spain on Tuesday. The Croatian team has conceded 12 goals across three matches.

Luka Modric started the game in Rijeka, but the 41-year-old appeared frustrated by his team's performance. In other Nations League action, World Cup champion Spain hosted Czechia in Oviedo, aiming to extend their unbeaten run to 40 games. Switzerland played Slovenia, while Scotland traveled to North Macedonia in League B matches.