England delivered a commanding 7-0 victory over Croatia in a Nations League match on Saturday, a result that England captain Harry Kane described as a clear message to Europe’s elite teams. The match, held in Rijeka, marked England’s biggest win under head coach Thomas Tuchel.
Kane contributed two goals, while Bukayo Saka added a brace. Additional scoring came from Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, and Morgan Rogers, showcasing the attacking depth of the Three Lions. The Bayern Munich striker, who now has 89 goals from 124 appearances, emphasized that the team's aggressive and relentless approach contrasted sharply with the more cautious style seen in the closing stages of England’s World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina in July.
“Even when we were 1-0 up, we went for two, went for three, went for four, and that’s got to be our mentality,” Kane said. “When you have a certain style of playing, you can’t just pick and choose when you want to do it. It’s just relentless. It’s non-stop.” He added that maintaining a hungry mindset is essential, especially in major tournaments.
The victory inflicted Croatia’s heaviest ever defeat and highlighted England’s pace, composure, and movement—qualities that appeared to wane during the World Cup’s latter stages. Kane suggested that such performances will serve as a blueprint as England prepare to co-host Euro 2028.
Acknowledging the quality of the opposition, Kane noted that the convincing win should not be taken for granted. “We’re playing against a really good side. It could have been a really tricky game for us,” he said. “It’s always just sending messages—not just to yourself, but to the other teams around Europe. I think we’ve done that again.”
He also highlighted the youthful energy and current form of several players as crucial factors behind the team's success. “We’re hungry. We’re a young team. We have players in amazing form right now, and I think everyone’s just excited to be out there on the pitch,” Kane said. “Performances like this will only make us more motivated.”
Looking ahead, Kane is poised to match Peter Shilton’s record as England’s joint most-capped player when the team faces the Czech Republic on Tuesday at Wembley. At 33, he also inches closer to reaching 100 international goals, needing just 11 more to hit the milestone.
“It’s coming. It’s 89 now, so obviously, it’s getting closer and closer,” Kane remarked. “We have a special game on Tuesday in terms of the caps, obviously 100 goals is a nice round number and it would be incredible to reach, of course.”