Croatia host England in a crucial UEFA Nations League Group 3 encounter on Saturday with both teams needing three points to have a chance at claiming top spot.
Both teams come into the game level with three points, after one win and one defeat in their opening two matches.
Croatia started their campaign with a 2-1 victory away to Czechia but were then heavily beaten 4-1 by Spain.
The Three Lions, meanwhile, suffered a dramatic 3-2 home defeat to Spain before bouncing back with a 2-0 victory over 10-man Czechia in Prague.
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The fixture therefore represents an important opportunity for both sides to strengthen their position in the group, with Spain leading with six points.
The meeting comes only a few months after the two countries faced each other at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, when England won 4-2 in the group stage.
Can Croatia get their revenge here to guarantee progression to the quarterfinals? Here is our predicted outcome for the match.
What time does Croatia vs England start?
The match kicks off at 9:45PM E.A.T at Stadion HNK Rijeka
Croatia vs England team news
Defensively, the hosts remain without Josip Juranovic, who has an Achilles problem, and Martin Erlic, who is recovering from a foot injury.
Captain Luka Modric started Croatia’s campaign with a goal against Czechia and became the country’s oldest-ever goalscorer. However, he was only introduced from the bench against Spain.
Mateo Kovacic is expected to retain his spot in the starting XI, with Martin Baturina and Ante Budimir leading the attacking line.
As for England, Nico O’Reilly is the latest to withdraw from the squad due to injury, and he will not feature here.
James Trafford has started both Nations League matches and is expected to retain his place ahead of Jordan Pickford.
The Three Lions third youngest Captain Jude Bellingham came off the bench against the Czech and picked up a knock, though he is expected to start here.
Harry Kane will continue to lead the attacking line for the visitors after getting a goal in the last minute.
Croatia vs England head-to-head and current form
England have faced Croatia 12 times, winning seven, drawing two and losing three.
The Three Lions are unbeaten in their last four meetings with Croatia, while their most recent encounter ended in a 4-2 England victory at the 2026 World Cup.
Current form:
Croatia – LWLWW
England – WLWLW
Croatia vs England previous games
- England 4-2 Croatia (June 17, 2026)
- England 1-0 Croatia (June 13, 2021)
- England 2-1 Croatia (November 18, 2018)
- Croatia 0-0 England (October 12, 2018)
- Croatia 2-1 England (July 11, 2018)
Croatia vs England prediction
Croatia have scored in both of their Nations League matches, while England have scored five goals across their first two fixtures.
The previous meeting ended 4-2, and both teams have attacking players capable of exploiting defensive weaknesses. This makes the goal markets more attractive than picking a winner for this game.
Prediction – Both teams to score – PLACE YOUR BET ON THIS GAME HERE!
