England 2 Croatia 1 Harry Kane Scores, Match Stats & Post Match Reaction

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What would have been James Garner's first England goal is disallowed after he was ruled offside ❌ pic.twitter.com/sMrD4KeVvA

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) November 12, 2026

Next up is Spain in Madrid on Sunday, with top spot in the group on the line. Kane told ITV: “It’s a perfect opportunity now on Sunday to try and prove ourselves.”

England now have the chance to top Group A3 and be seeded for the quarter-finals, but they’ll need to beat the world champions on their own patch. On tonight’s showing, they’ll need to be a lot sharper.

Roy Keane, speaking on ITV (via Sky Sports’ live text), pointed the finger at Trent Alexander-Arnold as well as Quansah for Croatia’s goal: “I know Quansah has panicked. But Trent – you talk about smelling danger and people peeling off the back of him. They’re the bits he’s got to improve on.”

He went on: “He’s walking away from the danger. At his age, it’s like he’ll never learn that side of it. I’d love to know what he’s thinking. I don’t understand.”

His overall verdict: “…there was a little bit of panic in the second half with some of their defending. But they got the job done.”

Harry Kane, speaking to ITV after his record-breaking night: “An incredible gesture at the start of the game but it was all about getting the win. They are a tough team who wanted to prove something. For large spells we did well but got a little tired. It sets up a great game on Sunday.”

The skipper admitted England were sloppy: “We gave away too many easy balls in our own half which killed our momentum.” He added: “We are in midst of a tough run of games for club and country so you can’t expect everything to be perfect. We can improve and will need to on Sunday.”

Harry Kane is now England’s most-capped player of all time. Peter Shilton handed him a commemorative token before kick-off, and Kane marked his 126th cap with his 92nd England goal, a coolly taken penalty.

Sky Sports’ Peter Smith at Wembley: “It’s a good job England have Harry Kane. Captain fantastic got his inevitable goal on his record-breaking night and played a big part in the opener.” But he added: “Other than those moments, England were pretty poor and lacklustre, with jittery moments at the back.”

Sky Sports News’ Rob Dorsett, at Wembley, summed up a strange night: “As a game, it was instantly forgettable. As an occasion, it will live long in the memory.”

He didn’t hold back on the performance either: “England were disappointing. Flat. Lifeless, in the main. Lacking energy, spark and invention.” He said full-backs Alexander-Arnold and Hall “came out of it with some credit”, and that Elliot Anderson “was as industrious and effective as ever”.

Nothing changes. Harry Kane scores goals. pic.twitter.com/XxMeCucBXJ

— England (@England) November 12, 2026

Squeaky-bum time at Wembley. Quansah, who gifted Croatia their goal, throws himself in front of Budimir’s shot to block it. Then Gvardiol is left free at the back post and heads over. Croatia are not going quietly.

Majer replaces Kovacic for the closing stages. We’re into stoppage time.

Heartbreak for James Garner. The substitute rolled Bellingham’s lay-off into an empty net and was off celebrating what he thought was his first England goal, but a late flag went up. Garner was ruled offside after he and Rogers had squeezed Gvardiol off the ball earlier in the move.

Still 2-1. Four minutes plus stoppage time to go.

Huge chance for Croatia. Vlasic turns Dan Burn with a lovely first touch and is almost in on goal, and England get away with it.

This is getting nervy at Wembley. Croatia sense a point.

Warning sign! Rice misses Baturina’s deep free-kick and substitute Budimir only gets a glancing header on it. Croatia were inches from a second equaliser.

Tuchel finally acts. Ben White, Ngumoha and Garner come on for Alexander-Arnold, Gordon and Rice. Some England fans still boo White as he comes on.

Kane nearly made it two, rising above Gvardiol to meet Gordon’s cross but heading over.

Then a legend arrives. Luka Modric comes on for Misic, and it’s his 207th cap, which makes even Kane’s record look modest. Marco Pasalic replaces Smolcic. Eze is warming up for England.

Bilic rolls the dice. Budimir and Mario Pasalic come on for Matanovic and goalscorer Sucic.

Still no changes from Tuchel, even though England are struggling to find any rhythm. Bellingham has barely been involved since the opener.

A chance for instant redemption! Quansah, at fault for the equaliser, was hauled down by Smolcic at an England corner. After a VAR review, England have a penalty.

The pressure is building. Bellingham feeds Rogers in the box and his lay-off nearly finds Gordon, who goes down, but there’s nothing in it. Bellingham smashes the loose ball straight at Livakovic.

Moments later Gordon spots a gap at the far post and fires just wide. A second goal feels close.

Wembley was out of its seats. Kane looked certain to score on his record-breaking night, but Stanisic raced across to throw himself in the way and block it.

Gordon has already curled one wide from a tight angle since the restart, but the atmosphere has gone flat again.

We’re back under way at Wembley, and Thomas Tuchel has made no changes at the break.

Elsewhere, Spain lead Czech Republic 1-0, so they keep their three-point lead at the top. England look all but certain to join them in the last eight, with top spot up for grabs on Sunday.

England are in control, but after all the pre-match fanfare for Kane this has the feel of a testimonial at times. Alexander-Arnold blazes one high over the bar, and at the other end Baturina’s shot goes straight at Pickford.

Croatia are seeing more of the ball as the half closes out.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🤝 🇭🇷

A touching message from Croatia presented to @HKane ahead of tonight’s match ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ZRrv879pDT

— England (@England) November 12, 2026

Croatia carve out their best chance yet. Baturina skips past Quansah on the break and Kovacic curls one from the edge of the box, but Pickford takes it in his midriff.

England go straight up the other end. Rogers slips Bellingham in, Gvardiol blocks his shot and Vlasic hooks it clear with an overhead kick.

The goal has flipped this game on its head. Gordon skins Smolcic and fizzes a low ball across that’s cleared just before it reaches Rogers. Hall then has a cross blocked, and Burn has a header charged down from the resulting corner.

England went from penned in to pinning Croatia back in the space of ten minutes.

WE TAKE THE LEAD!!! 😍 pic.twitter.com/jP1DrNhjzn

— England (@England) November 12, 2026

Now we’re talking. Both full-backs are pushed right up, and Alexander-Arnold has a strike blocked by Misic. Then he floats a gorgeous 30-yard ball into Rogers’ run at the far post, but Rogers’ first-time cross along the six-yard box has nobody on the end of it.

Croatia had the first 15 minutes. These last five have belonged to England.

England’s best move of the night. Rice, Rogers and Anderson zip it about on the edge of the box, and Elliot Anderson’s snap shot from 20 yards flashes just wide. He’s still waiting for a first England goal.

The Three Lions are finally waking up. Kane has started spraying long passes out to Gordon and Hall from deep.

Ten minutes gone and England still haven’t clicked. Kane was dispossessed on the edge of his own box, Jordan Pickford gave away a cheap corner dawdling on the ball, and Alexander-Arnold overcooked a curler meant for Gordon.

Wembley is quiet. Croatia look like a side out to make amends for last month.

What a moment at @WembleyStadium 🤯

Coming together to celebrate @HKane 🦁 pic.twitter.com/fyMJuLEx7S

— England (@England) November 12, 2026

This is not the Croatia side England thrashed 7-0 in Rijeka last month. The visitors have had the better of the opening minutes, pinning England back, and Matanovic nearly got on the end of a Smolcic cross before it ran behind.

We’re up and running at Wembley, a touch later than planned after the pre-match celebrations for Harry Kane. Croatia get us going, and England attack the away end in the first half.

A point tonight would seal England’s place in the Nations League quarter-finals. Come on, England!

The players are out at a sold-out, freezing Wembley. Harry Kane leads England out as he becomes the Three Lions’ most-capped player ever, with a giant tifo of the skipper unfurled in the West Stand.

Croatia go with a back three, with Luka Modric starting on the bench. Kick-off is moments away.

Jude Bellingham is in the starting XI tonight, even though one more booking would rule him out of Sunday’s potential Nations League group decider through suspension.

It’s no real shock to see England’s player of the year start, but if the Three Lions are cruising, don’t be surprised if he’s withdrawn early to protect him for the weekend.

Your #ThreeLions to take on Croatia 👊

Harry Kane is set to make a historic 126th England appearance ❤️ pic.twitter.com/QfJ2zjlTPf

— England (@England) November 12, 2026

Welcome to Dave.Sport’s live coverage of England vs Croatia on Match Day 5 on the Nations League, with kick-off at 19:45 UK time at the home of football Wembley Stadium.

Few fixtures carry quite as much history for England supporters. Croatia have been a recurring obstacle over the years, from the Euro 2008 qualifying defeat at Wembley that ended Steve McClaren’s reign to the extra-time heartbreak of the 2018 World Cup semi-final in Moscow. England have had their moments too, including the 1-0 win at Wembley in the opening game of Euro 2020.

The Dave.Sport team will be testing our new match centre live updates system this for the England vs. Croatia Nations League fixture at Wembley. Stay tuned.