England thrash Croatia 7-0 in historic rout as Kane and Saka lead extraordinary night in Rijeka
England sent one of the strongest messages of the third round of the UEFA Nations League by thrashing hosts Croatia 7-0 in Rijeka on Saturday, October 3, 2026, in a record result that entered the history of meetings between the two national teams and handed Croatia the heaviest defeat in its history.
England’s victory came through a dominant attacking performance, with Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka scoring twice each, while Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers added the other goals. UEFA confirmed that England went into halftime with a four-goal lead before adding three more after the break.
Kane opens the way as England refuse to slow down
The evening began early for the visitors when Kane opened the scoring in the eighth minute after a pass from Bellingham. Bellingham then doubled the lead before Gordon scored the third and Saka added the fourth before halftime.
England’s tempo did not drop after the break. Kane scored his second goal, then Saka completed his brace with a powerful strike before substitute Morgan Rogers completed the seven-goal rout. According to Reuters, Bellingham created three goals in addition to scoring one himself, in one of his most notable international performances.
Historic record for Croatia as group race continues
UEFA described the result as a record defeat for Croatia. Despite the emphatic victory, Spain remained top of Group A3 after beating the Czech Republic 3-1. Spain have nine points from three matches, compared with six for England and three for Croatia.
The brace also took Kane’s tally to four goals in the current edition of the Nations League, leaving him level at the top of the scoring charts with Lamine Yamal and Leo Walta, according to UEFA data.
A night that boosts England’s confidence
The result is significant not only because of the number of goals, but also because of the way England imposed their control away from home against a team with extensive international experience. Kane said after the match that the performance had been exceptional, while England displayed clear attacking variety and an ability to score through collective movements and from different situations.
The victory comes as part of a strong start to the group campaign, while Croatia will have to regain their balance quickly in the coming rounds. Break’s previous coverage of the Nations League can be found in the report France and Italy draw in Paris.
Sources
UEFA — Summary of the third round of the UEFA Nations League, October 3, 2026.
Reuters — Croatia v England match report, October 3, 2026.
England Football — Official match centre, October 3, 2026.
