Croatia vs England
Croatia vs England Preview
There is something about England versus Croatia that always feels loaded with history. The 2018 World Cup semi-final, the Nations League redemption, the Euros group stage win in 2021 — these two have form with each other that goes well beyond a standard international fixture. And now they meet again, this time in Rijeka on a Saturday evening in the Nations League, both sides carrying very different energy after their midweek results.
England come into this one off the back of a 2-0 win in Prague against a Czech Republic side who went down to ten men, but a win is a win and Thomas Tuchel will take it. His side let a lead slip in a 3-2 defeat to Spain just days before that, so getting back to winning ways, keeping a clean sheet, and getting bodies on the plane to Croatia in decent shape all matters. For the Three Lions, this is a chance to make it four consecutive wins against Croatia for the first time ever — and to go top of League A Group 3 with real intent.
Croatia, on the other hand, arrive here licking their wounds. A 4-1 hammering at the hands of Spain on Tuesday was a rough night for Slaven Bilic’s side, and the head coach did not mince his words about it afterwards, calling out a lack of aggression and singling out his defenders for playing badly. Conceding four against the world champions is one thing, but the manner of it will sting. They need a response here, on home soil, against a side they know well. The stakes are real — drop points here and their Nations League campaign starts to look very difficult, very quickly.
Croatia vs England Form
England’s form under Tuchel has been genuinely impressive when you zoom out. Eighteen wins from 24 games as national team head coach is a record that demands respect — that is not fluking your way through fixtures, that is building something. The Nations League campaign has had its wobbles, notably that defeat to Spain, but they bounced back in midweek with a professional job in Prague. Gordon and Kane with the goals, a clean sheet, and a result that extended their away winning run in this competition to four matches. They are grinding out results even when they are not at their best, which is exactly what good sides do.
Croatia’s recent form tells a different story. They have conceded in 11 of their last 12 internationals, which is a deeply worrying stat for a side that has historically prided itself on defensive organisation. Bilic got off to a decent start with that 2-1 win over Czechia on the opening matchday, but Spain exposed them brutally. More concerning is the wider trend — Croatia have lost all six of their last matches against sides ranked in the FIFA top ten, and England sit at number four in those rankings. That pattern is hard to ignore.
The one thing Croatia have going for them is their home record. An unbeaten run of nine competitive games at home is nothing to sniff at, with eight wins and a draw. They have not lost a competitive fixture on home soil since October 2023, when Turkey edged them 1-0 in a Euros qualifier. Home comforts matter in international football, and Rijeka gives them a crowd and a familiar setting to rally around after a tough week. But England’s away form in this competition has been equally strong, and that creates an interesting tension at the heart of this fixture.
Croatia vs England Head to Head
England have won three of the last five meetings between these sides, with one draw and one defeat. The defeat that England fans remember most is the 2018 World Cup semi-final in Moscow, but they have largely had the upper hand since then. The most recent meeting came just under four months ago, when England put four past Croatia in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup — a comprehensive 4-2 win that underlined the shift in the balance of power between these two nations. Croatia are no longer the side that could reliably outfox England in the big moments.
The one result that gives Croatia something to hold onto from recent history is the goalless draw in Rijeka during the 2018 Nations League — the last time England visited this exact venue. England were unable to break them down that night, and Croatia’s home support will be hoping for a similar defensive performance on Saturday. But that was a different England side, and a different Croatia side too. Tuchel’s team has far more attacking bite than what Southgate brought to the table in that era, and Croatia’s defensive record over the last year makes it hard to believe they can replicate that shutout.
Croatia vs England Lineups
The big England team news is in goal, where Jordan Pickford is set to start after Tuchel confirmed he will play the next two matches. James Trafford has featured in the opening two games of this campaign, but Pickford’s experience and 91 caps make him the right call for a game like this. At left-back, Lewis Hall is expected to keep his place after Nico O’Reilly pulled out of the squad through injury. There could be a shake-up in central defence, with Ezri Konsa potentially returning after sitting out the Czechia game as an unused substitute — though Trevoh Chalobah will be pushing hard to stay in the side after a solid performance. Jude Bellingham could force his way back into the midfield, which would be a significant upgrade in creativity and intensity.
For Croatia, the selection problems are mounting. Josip Juranovic and Martin Erlic have both pulled out of the squad through injury, leaving Bilic short of options at the back. Young Brighton defender Luka Vuskovic, just 19 years old, is in line to partner Josko Gvardiol at centre-back — an inexperienced pairing by international standards. The Modric question is always hovering too; the 41-year-old legend scored on his last start against Czechia and could come back into the side, bringing experience and quality in the final third even if his legs are not what they were. Croatia are short-handed and patched up — not ideal preparation for facing a side with England’s attacking options.
Croatia vs England Tactics
Tuchel’s England have become increasingly hard to play through. They press with purpose from the front, Kane leads the line with intelligence, and they have the wide players to stretch teams and create overloads. Gordon in particular will fancy his chances against what looks like a makeshift Croatian back line. Expect England to try to dominate possession in the middle of the pitch, use Bellingham if he starts to drive forward from deep, and look to work the ball wide quickly when Croatia sit in. They will not want a cagey game — they want to put this one to bed early and head into the Czechia home game with confidence and momentum.
Croatia under Bilic tend to set up in a shape that is meant to be hard to beat at home — organised, compact, difficult to pick apart through the middle. But after Tuesday’s capitulation against Spain, questions about their defensive discipline are entirely valid. Gvardiol is quality, but putting an untested 19-year-old alongside him is a significant risk. Croatia will need to be aggressive and structured in their pressing to stop England from picking them apart, and Bilic himself admitted his side lacked that aggression in midweek. If they cannot fix that in the space of three days, England will find the spaces they need. The worry for England is if Croatia can hit on the counter — they have the forward quality to hurt anyone on their day, and England’s full-backs pushing high could leave gaps to exploit.
Croatia vs England Prediction and Betting Tips
England are the stronger side here, they are in better form, and they are playing against a Croatia team that is short on defenders, low on confidence after Tuesday, and conceding goals for fun at international level. The away record in this competition, the depth in Tuchel’s squad, and the 4-2 win over Croatia just a few months ago all point in one direction. Croatia’s home record gives them a puncher’s chance, but the structural problems in their back line are too significant to overlook.
The tip here is England to win and both teams to score. Croatia have scored in the majority of their recent home games and have the attacking quality to nick one, but England have enough going forward to get the goals they need. A game with a bit of noise in it, England edging it — that feels like the right call. Match Result and BTTS, England Win and Yes, is the selection.