| Spain vs Croatia | |
| MATCH | Nations League |
| DATE | 30 - 09 - 2026 |
| TIME | 12.15 AM IST |
| STADIUM | Stadium |
Spain vs Croatia Match Preview
Spain will look to continue their impressive international run when they face Croatia in their latest UEFA Nations League fixture. Fresh from winning the 2026 World Cup after previously lifting the European Championship, Luis de la Fuente’s side enter the contest with considerable confidence.
La Roja opened their Nations League campaign with an entertaining 3-2 victory over England at Wembley. Spain made a dream start when Lamine Yamal found the net inside the opening two minutes, but England responded strongly and went into the break ahead after goals from Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane.
Spain showed their resilience after the interval. Kane missed a 55th-minute penalty, hitting the crossbar, before De la Fuente introduced Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal. Both substitutes made an immediate impact, scoring to complete Spain's comeback and secure three points.
The result extended Spain’s remarkable record, with the European champions continuing their long unbeaten run in competitive football. They will now be aiming for another positive result against Croatia, a team they have defeated in each of their last three meetings.
Croatia, however, will arrive with confidence of their own after beginning their Nations League campaign with an important away victory. Slaven Bilic returned to the national-team dugout and marked his comeback with a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic in Prague.
Luka Modric opened the scoring shortly after half-time, although Adam Karabec quickly brought the hosts level. Marco Pasalic eventually restored Croatia's advantage, scoring the decisive goal to give Bilic three points in his first match back in charge.
Croatia will need another disciplined performance if they are to take something from their trip to Spain. Their recent record against La Roja has been difficult, with their last victory over Spain coming in the Nations League in 2018.
Recent Form
Spain – Nations League:
W
Spain – All Competitions:
W, W, W, W, W, W
Croatia – Nations League:
W
Croatia – All Competitions:
W, L, W, W, L, W
Team News
Spain could make changes following their demanding victory at Wembley. Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia and Tottenham defender Pedro Porro were unavailable after withdrawing from the squad with injuries.
Robin Le Normand has joined the squad as a replacement for Eric Garcia, who was forced to leave the group after suffering a knee problem.
Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal could be rewarded with starting places after their decisive contributions from the bench against England. Pedri is another player pushing for a starting role after making a positive impact during his cameo at Wembley.
Croatia have also dealt with several injury-related changes. Josip Juranovic and Martin Erlic withdrew from the original squad, with Lovro Majer, Marin Pongracic and Kristijan Jakic subsequently called up.
Marco Pasalic could earn a starting position after scoring the winning goal against the Czech Republic. Ante Budimir is also an option for Bilic if the Croatia coach decides to change his attacking setup.
What to Expect
Spain are likely to control possession and attempt to dictate the tempo, while Croatia will look to remain compact and take advantage of opportunities on the counterattack.
With both teams beginning the Nations League with victories, the encounter could prove important in determining the early Group A3 standings. Spain will be looking to maintain their excellent momentum, while Croatia will hope their strong start under Bilic can continue against one of Europe's leading international sides.