| Engalnd vs Croatia | |
| MATCH | Nations League |
| DATE | 03 - 10 - 2026 |
| TIME | 09.30 PM IST |
| STADIUM | Stadium |
England vs Croatia: Match Preview
England will look to build on their first Nations League victory of the campaign when they travel to face Croatia this weekend. The Three Lions head into the contest with confidence after recovering from their narrow defeat to world champions Spain by beating Czechia 2-0 in Prague.
Goals from Anthony Gordon and captain Harry Kane, scored either side of half-time, secured England’s first three points of the campaign. The result also extended their away winning run in the Nations League to four matches and ended a six-game sequence without a clean sheet.
Thomas Tuchel has made a strong start as England head coach, winning 18 of his 24 matches since taking charge in January 2025. England will now face a familiar opponent in Croatia, a side they have beaten three times in their last five meetings, alongside one draw and one defeat.
England are ranked fourth in the FIFA world rankings and will be aiming to record four consecutive victories over Croatia for the first time. However, their most recent Nations League meeting in Croatia ended in a goalless draw in 2018.
Croatia looking to respond
Croatia began their Nations League campaign with a 2-1 away victory over Czechia but suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Spain in their second fixture.
Dion Beljo cancelled out Lamine Yamal’s early goal before Marc Pubill restored Spain’s advantage just three minutes later. Two second-half goals then completed the victory for the world champions.
The defeat prompted a critical assessment from Croatia head coach Slaven Bilic, who said his team lacked aggression and admitted that their defensive performance was poor.
Croatia, currently 12th in the FIFA world rankings, have conceded in 11 of their last 12 international matches across all competitions. They have also lost each of their last six games against teams ranked inside FIFA's top 10.
However, Croatia remain a difficult opponent at home. They are unbeaten in their last nine competitive matches on home soil, winning eight and drawing one. Their last competitive home defeat came against Turkey in a Euro qualifying match in October 2023.
Team News
England will be without Manchester City youngster Nico O'Reilly, who has withdrawn from the squad because of injury. Newcastle United's Lewis Hall is therefore expected to continue at left-back.
Ezri Konsa could return to the starting XI after being an unused substitute against Czechia, although Trevoh Chalobah will hope to retain his place alongside Marc Guehi.
Jordan Pickford is expected to start after Tuchel indicated that the experienced Everton goalkeeper would feature in England's next two matches following James Trafford's involvement in the opening Nations League fixtures.
Jude Bellingham could return to the midfield, while Alex Scott and James Garner are competing for a starting role.
Croatia have also suffered defensive problems. Josip Juranovic and Martin Erlic withdrew from the squad because of injuries, with Erlic missing the defeat to Spain because of a hamstring problem.
Luka Vuskovic could replace Marin Pongracic and partner Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol in central defence.
Luka Modric remains an important option for Croatia despite his age, while Martin Baturina is also pushing for a starting role after his previous success against England.
Dion Beljo will be another player to watch. The Dinamo Zagreb striker has scored five goals in his last four appearances for club and country and found the net against Spain. He is expected to lead the Croatian attack ahead of Igor Matanovic and Petar Musa.
What to expect
England will enter the match looking to continue their positive momentum under Tuchel, while Croatia will be determined to respond after their heavy defeat to Spain. England's attacking quality and recent record against Croatia will provide confidence, but Croatia's strong home record means the Three Lions can expect a competitive contest in Rijeka.