England look to build on their first Nations League win of the campaign, with Thomas Tuchel’s side taking on a Croatia team searching for a response after a chastening defeat in Spain.
Match Preview
England’s start to Group A3 has been a story of two very different performances. Thomas Tuchel’s side let a one-goal lead slip in a 3-2 defeat to World Cup champions Spain on matchday one, before responding in impressive fashion with a 2-0 win over 10-man Czech Republic in Prague, a victory Tuchel described as “very professional” after what he called an “awkward” occasion.
The result moved Tuchel’s overall England record to 18 wins from 24 games since his January 2025 appointment, and extended the team’s remarkable away form to eight straight wins in all competitions, one shy of the all-time English record set under Sir Alf Ramsey in 1967.
Croatia find themselves in a similar position on points but considerably more fragile defensively. Zlatko Dalic’s side opened with a 2-1 win over Czechia before being thoroughly undone in a 4-1 defeat to Spain, a result that exposed exactly the kind of vulnerabilities England will be eager to exploit on Saturday.
Despite the heavy loss, Croatia’s underlying home record remains formidable, they have won eight of their last nine competitive matches on home soil, losing just four of 41 in that period, though three of those defeats have specifically come in the Nations League, against France and Portugal in 2020 and Austria in 2022.
History leans heavily toward the visitors in the head-to-head picture. Since their famous 2018 World Cup semi-final victory over England, Croatia have gone winless in four subsequent meetings between the sides (one draw, three defeats), including both previous Nations League encounters in 2018..
Team News
England will be without Nico O’Reilly, who has left the camp, while Declan Rice and Cole Palmer remain unavailable. Ezri Konsa is a doubt having only been fit enough for a place on the bench against Czechia, which could open the door for an alternative central defensive pairing.
Jordan Pickford is set to be handed his first start of the campaign in goal after James Trafford started the opening two fixtures, with Tuchel having previously confirmed his long-serving number one would get a run-out during this window.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, who made a rare England start at right-back against Czechia, could retain his place after a promising showing, with Lewis Hall doing likewise on the opposite flank. Anthony Gordon has been in excellent individual form, scoring in both of England’s opening Nations League matches, and will once again look to provide a direct outlet alongside Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham.
Croatia have their own selection questions to resolve, with Josip Stanisic’s availability uncertain heading into the weekend. Martin Baturina, who scored against England during this summer’s World Cup, is pushing for a starting role in attack or midfield having impressed in flashes so far this campaign, while the experienced Ivan Perisic remains a key outlet for delivering crosses into the box, a route Dalic’s side will likely lean on heavily against a side that can be vulnerable in wide areas.
Croatia vs England Predicted XI
Croatia Predicted XI:
Livakovic; Juranovic, Gvardiol, Sutalo, Perisic; Modric, Kovacic, Majer; Pasalic, Kramaric, Baturina
England Predicted XI:
Pickford; Alexander-Arnold, Guehi, Branthwaite, Hall; Anderson, Lewis-Skelly, Bellingham; Gordon, Kane, Foden
Score Prediction
Croatia 1-3 England
