England Thrash Croatia 7-0, Bellingham Shines With Goal and Three Assists

England thrashed Croatia 7-0 away from home in the Nations League on Saturday, October 3, a result that equals the competition's biggest-ever winning margin and moves Thomas Tuchel's side to the top of Group A3.

Jude Bellingham was at the heart of the rout, recording a goal and three assists in a dominant individual display. Harry Kane was among the scorers too, taking his tally to 89 England goals and extending his remarkable record of finding the net in six consecutive competitive away internationals for the Three Lions.

The match was played behind closed doors, with Croatia serving a UEFA sanction imposed after crowd trouble during last year's Nations League quarter-final against France, a punishment that also barred Croatian fans from the team's opening away fixture in the Czech Republic. The empty stands did nothing to blunt England's attacking display, who travelled to Zagreb on the back of routine Nations League wins and dismantled a Croatia side missing the injured Luka Modric from their usual spine.

The win sends a statement from Tuchel's side as the Nations League group phase heads toward its November conclusion, with England now firmly in control of Group A3 ahead of Spain and the Czech Republic. For Croatia, the margin of defeat raises uncomfortable questions heading into the business end of the competition, with the Vatreni having been fancied to push England close in a group many expected to go to the wire.