Croatia vs England: Wounded Vatreni Face Another Major Test Against Three Lions
Croatia will face England in the third matchday of the UEFA Nations League on Saturday, October 3, with the Vatreni looking to recover from a heavy defeat against a Three Lions side that arrives with renewed confidence.
The match will take place at Rujevica Stadium in Rijeka, where Croatia will attempt to respond after suffering a 4-1 defeat in their previous outing. That result came shortly after their narrow 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic and left Zlatko Dalic’s side needing an immediate reaction against another demanding opponent.
England also endured a difficult start to their campaign, losing 3-2 to Spain in their opening match. Thomas Tuchel’s team responded impressively, however, beating the Czech Republic 2-0 in their second fixture and giving themselves a strong platform heading into the trip to Croatia.
With the two matches coming in relatively quick succession, both managers could make changes to their starting lineups. Croatia are expected to hand opportunities to players such as Luka Vuskovic and Atalanta midfielder Mario Pasalic, while Tuchel could introduce Alex Scott and Eberechi Eze from the beginning.
England also have considerable depth to call upon, allowing Tuchel to rotate without significantly weakening his squad. The German coach will be looking for another disciplined display as the Three Lions aim to build momentum after their victory over the Czech Republic.
The recent head-to-head record also provides England with encouragement. The two nations have faced each other regularly over the years, with England enjoying the better results in their most recent meetings.
Their latest encounter came at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, when England defeated Croatia 4-2. With much of the quality within the English squad still intact, the visitors will believe they can once again exploit weaknesses in the Croatian defence.
Croatia, however, remain capable of causing problems through their technical quality and experience. Luka Modric is expected to play a role in the contest, although his age could see him introduced from the bench rather than being risked from the opening whistle.
Vivagoal expects England to leave Rijeka with another victory, although Croatia should still have enough attacking quality to find the net. The visitors’ greater squad depth could ultimately prove decisive if the game becomes physically demanding in the later stages.
Head-to-Head: Croatia vs England
June 17, 2026 – FIFA World Cup: England 4-2 Croatia
June 13, 2021 – UEFA European Championship: England 1-0 Croatia
November 18, 2018 – UEFA Nations League: England 2-1 Croatia
October 12, 2018 – UEFA Nations League: Croatia 0-0 England
July 11, 2018 – FIFA World Cup: Croatia 2-1 England
Predicted Lineups
Croatia (4-2-3-1): Livakovic; Smolcic, Sutalo, Vuskovic, Gvardiol; Misic, Pasalic; Sucic, Perisic, Pasalic; Beljo.
Head Coach: Slaven Bilic
England (4-2-3-1): Trafford; Alexander-Arnold, Guehi, Chalobah, Hall; Scott, Bellingham; Saka, Rogers, Eze; Kane.
Head Coach: Thomas Tuchel
Prediction
Croatia will enter the contest under pressure to produce a response in front of their home supporters, while England have the opportunity to strengthen their position with another positive result. The Vatreni will rely on their experience and attacking quality, but they face an England side with greater momentum after bouncing back from their opening defeat.
With both teams still fighting for valuable points in the group, the contest in Rijeka could be decided by how effectively Croatia handle England’s attacking depth. The hosts are unlikely to surrender easily, but the Three Lions appear well placed to take advantage of the spaces left by a side that must chase a result.
Prediction: Croatia 1-2 England.
