Time to make amends - Croatia vs England

For England, who began their Nations League campaign with a home defeat to Spain, the away fixture against Croatia presents a significant opportunity to make amends. The English, who put in a particularly lacklustre performance against Spain - despite having the upper hand in the first half-hour - were rather fortunate to go into the break trailing by just 1-0. The Spaniards, who had one goal disallowed for offside, also squandered two one-on-one chances. A fine performance from England's new 23-year-old goalkeeper, Trafford, prevented the deficit from widening, whilst England equalised through Anthony Gordon in the 35th minute following a counter-attack. Within the next five minutes, they came close to scoring once through Harry Kane and then took the lead on the second attempt. Things were going extremely well for Tuchel's side - who had turned a poor start into a brilliant first-half finish - until the 53rd minute. Kane's shot hitting the crossbar from a penalty awarded following a VAR review marked the second turning point of the match. As the final half-hour began, Alex Baena levelled the score, whilst in the 74th minute, Oyarzabal secured the three points for the Spaniards. Although this defeat raises concerns regarding the quarter-finals and beyond, the chance to make amends in the Nations League remains. Tuchel's side, who are aiming to win the European Championship they will host in 2028, will also have passed an important psychological test against a strong side like Croatia.

Croatia vs England tickets

Slaven Bilic, who has managed three different clubs in England's Premier League and Championship, secured a victory in his first match back in charge of the Croatian national team. The fact that 41-year-old veteran Luka Modric remains in the squad and contributed to this victory by scoring a goal will be one of Bilic's greatest assets. Sucic, who has enjoyed a good season at Inter and is a key player for the side, will, alongside Kovacevic, form a vital part of Croatia's midfield as they aim to reach the very top once again with the national team. Having managed West Ham United during his first spell in England, guiding them to seventh place and securing a Europa League spot, whilst also managing to win away against Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal, Bilic is well aware that reaching the quarter-finals is very much a possibility following the victory over the Czech Republic. A victory against England would mean crossing a critical threshold. If you don't want to miss this match - which also serves as a rematch of the 4-2 result - you can enjoy a pleasant Saturday evening watching the Croatia vs England fixture.

They were in the same group at the World Cup

Croatia and England, who were in the same group at the 2026 World Cup, faced each other in the opening match of Group L, with Tuchel's side emerging victorious with a 4-2 scoreline. The English, who finished third in that World Cup, scored 20 goals and conceded 12 across their eight matches, and are capable of producing high-scoring encounters from time to time.