England Thrash Croatia 7-0 as Kane and Saka Score Twice

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England Thrash Croatia 7-0 as Kane and Saka Score Twice
England National Football Team, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka

Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka each scored twice as England routed Croatia 7-0 in Rijeka, their biggest win under Thomas Tuchel. Kane's double took his record England tally to 89 goals.

Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka both struck twice as England ran riot in a 7-0 rout of Croatia in the Nations League on Saturday. Thomas Tuchel's side ripped Croatia to shreds in Rijeka to make it two wins from their first three matches in their group.

Kane and Saka Drive England Rout

England captain Kane's double extended his record goal tally for his country to 89. The Bayern Munich striker was far from the only standout performer. Arsenal winger Saka also bagged a brace as England recorded the biggest win of the Tuchel era. Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham, restored to the starting line-up after Tuesday's 2-0 win against the Czech Republic, was on target and capped a vibrant display with three assists.

England in seventh heaven as Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka double against hapless Croatia

Anthony Gordon netted to make it four goals in his last four England matches before Morgan Rogers completed the annihilation. Chasing a top-two finish to secure a spot in the Nations League quarterfinals in March, England conclude the international break against the Czech Republic at Wembley on Tuesday. That should be a slightly more raucous occasion than this tie. The match was played behind closed doors because of crowd trouble involving Croatia fans against France in 2025.

Around 6,000 local school children and 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. That prompted Tuchel to warn that the relaxed mood in the camp must not put his team into what he described as holiday mode.

England Overwhelms Croatia in Rijeka

But 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 side to disappoint the youthful crowd. Tuchel's men took just eight minutes to go ahead with an incisive raid that exposed the talent gap between the sides. Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, making his first start for England, was the catalyst with a composed pass to Bellingham.

Bellingham slipped an equally measured ball in behind the flat-footed Croatia defence, and 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.

Saka's cross was too high for his teammates, but Gordon 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 pinpoint 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.

England's Ruthless Second Half

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 halftime. England showed no mercy after the interval and Kane netted again in the 53rd minute, sliding in to convert Elliot Anderson's cross with ease. Saka got the sixth from Kane's pass after another woeful error from helpless Croatia in the 68th minute.

Rogers came off the bench to put the seal on England's swaggering display, rounding Livakovic to net from Bellingham's 87th-minute pass. Tuchel's men now turn their attention to the Czech Republic at Wembley, knowing a strong finish to the group stage will keep their quarterfinal ambitions firmly on track.

Compiled from 2 sourcesCompiled by HeadTopics editors by cross-checking the verified news reports listed here.

This story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.

England National Football Team Harry Kane Bukayo Saka Jude Bellingham Croatia National Football Team Nations League Thomas Tuchel England 7-0 Croatia

 

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