England delivered a statement performance in Rijeka, handing Croatia their biggest ever defeat, with manager Thomas Tuchel convinced his side has moved on from their World Cup pain. The front four combined to devastating effect at Stadion HNK Rijeka, where 6,200 local schoolchildren were allowed in free of charge despite the game being scheduled behind closed doors.
Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka each scored twice, while Jude Bellingham became the first midfielder since David Platt in 1993 to register four goal involvements in a single game. Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers also found the net, contributing to what Tuchel described as a complete performance.
Tuchel praised Alex Scott's full debut, calling the 23-year-old midfielder a "complete package" for his smooth play, decision-making, confidence, and work rate. England now hold a firm grip on second place in their Nations League group and are confident of reaching next year’s finals.