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UEFA Nations League: England Crush Croatia 7-0 in Historic Win as Spain Beat Czech Republic
England handed Croatia their heaviest defeat in history with a 7-0 thrashing in the UEFA Nations League, while Spain defeated the Czech Republic 3-1 to remain perfect in Group A3.
England produced a stunning performance in UEFA Nations League Group A3 on Saturday, October 3, 2026, defeating Croatia 7-0 at Stadion HNK Rijeka to inflict the heaviest defeat in the host nation's history. Harry Kane set the tone early by opening the scoring in the 8th minute before adding his second goal in the 53rd minute. Jude Bellingham doubled the lead in the 21st minute, followed by Anthony Gordon's strike in the 39th minute and Bukayo Saka's first goal on the stroke of halftime in the 45th minute. Saka added his second in the 68th minute, while Morgan Rogers rounded off the scoring in the 87th minute. Following the victory, England manager Thomas Tuchel praised his squad, stating: "There was a 90-minute performance from the highest level … from everyone … from the first until the last minute … congratulations to the team … very, very impressive … we created so many chances … so fluid right from the start … it never stopped … very clinical … stayed hungry … counter-pressing … the basics right … we always played humble … that's why it was a complete performance".
In another UEFA Nations League Group A3 match on the same day, Spain maintained their perfect record with a 3-1 victory over the Czech Republic at Estadio Carlos Tartiere. Lamine Yamal put Spain ahead in the 6th minute with a curling strike, before Rodri doubled the lead in the 35th minute. Jiří Sláma narrowed the deficit for the Czech Republic in the 69th minute, but substitute Mikel Merino secured Spain's win with an 88th-minute goal. Following the match, Spanish midfielder Rodri remarked on the opposition's performance, saying: "They are well drilled, I thought it would be one of the hardest games and that's how it was".
These results solidify the positions of both traditional powerhouses in Group A3. England's record victory demonstrated dominant counter-pressing and clinical finishing under Thomas Tuchel, while Spain showed tactical composure to see off a well-organized Czech Republic squad.
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UEFA Nations League · England · Spain · دوري الأمم الأوروبية · إنجلترا
Competition: UEFA Nations League