The England vs Croatia head-to-head results in the last five matches clearly highlight the competitive rivalry between the two European giants.
England and Croatia face off at AT&T Stadium in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday, 17 June 2026. The highly anticipated match kicks off at 22:00 (SAST).
England vs Croatia: Head-to-Head Analysis
According to England and Croatia’s head-to-head history, Thomas Tuchel’s squad has won three of their recent five encounters, while losing one in extra time and drawing the other.
Tuchel’s side has scored nine goals against Zlatko Dalic’s team in their last five games, while conceding four. The Three Lions also kept two clean sheets in that timeframe.
There have been inconsistencies when it comes to corner kicks in the England vs Croatia fixture. Under 6.5 corner kicks were seen in three of the past five clashes between the two footballing nations, while the two other matches produced over 10.5 corners.
Below, SportPurse zooms in on the head-to-head results of the last five matches between England and Croatia, from 2009 to 2021.
England 1-0 Croatia
England edged Croatia 1-0 in Round 1 of the UEFA European Championship (EUROs) at Wembley Stadium on 13 June 2021.
Former Manchester City star Raheem Sterling broke the deadlock in the 57th minute, assisted by Kalvin Phillips. Sterling’s goal was enough to secure a narrow win for the Three Lions in the tense game.
England, with only two shots on target, took one corner kick in the game, while Croatia also took just one.
England 2-1 Croatia
England edged Croatia 2-1 in a fiercely contested UEFA Nations League clash at Wembley Stadium on 18 November 2018.
Andrej Kramaric broke the deadlock in the 57th minute, silencing England supporters who packed the stadium. However, the Three Lions staged a late comeback victory in the encounter.
Jesse Lingard levelled the score in the 78th minute, assisted by Harry Kane. The clinical finisher then scored the winning goal in the 85th minute, assisted by Ben Chilwell.
A rampant England, with seven shots on target, took nine corner kicks in the impressive victory, while Croatia took four.
Croatia 0-0 England
Croatia and England shared the spoils after a goalless draw in another UEFA Nations League match at Stadion HNK Rijeka on 12 October 2018.
There were no spectators at the stadium where Croatia took three shots on target, and England took two. Croatia also took two corner kicks in the scoreless draw, while England took four.
Croatia 2-1 England (AET)
Croatia edged England 2-1 in extra time of the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup at Luzhniki Stadium on 11 July 2018. The thriller had ended 1-1 in normal time.
Kieran Trippier put England ahead in the 5th minute, giving them a dream start to the crucial match. However, Ivan Perisic equalised for Croatia in the 68th minute. Sime Vrsaljko provided the assist.
Croatia, who had their tails up after scoring the equaliser, took eight corner kicks in the 1-1 draw, while England took four.
During extra time, Croatian goalscorer Perisic turned provider when he assisted Mario Mandzukic in scoring the winner in the 109th minute.
England 5-1 Croatia
England trounced Croatia 5-1 in a thrilling World Cup Qualifier at Wembley Stadium on 9 September 2009.
Chelsea legend Frank Lampard opened the scoring in the 8th minute. He converted from the spot. Legendary Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard then doubled the Three Lions’ score in the 18th minute.
England continued attacking after the break despite leading 2-0, showing more hunger in the second half. With his second goal of the match, Lampard extended the hosts’ lead to 3-0 in the 59th minute.
Gerrard also scored a brace in the showdown. He scored England’s fourth goal in the 66th minute. In the 73rd minute, Eduardo denied England a clean sheet when he netted the visitors’ consolation goal.
Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney then scored the hosts’ fifth goal in the 77th minute, changing the score to 5-1. The star-studded England lineup also included the likes of David Beckham and John Terry.
The rampant England took two corner kicks in the statement victory, while Croatia took three.
Who Is a Key Player in the England Squad?
Harry Kane is undoubtedly the key player in the England squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Bayern Munich goal poacher has been tipped as one of the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or after his stellar performance in the 2025/26 season.
Among other goals, Kane scored 36 goals and provided five assists in 31 Bundesliga appearances. The clinical finisher also netted 14 goals and provided two assists in 13 UEFA Champions League matches.
Also Read: Brazil vs Morocco head to head history: Results, scorers, assists, and live score
Key Player in the Croatian Squad
Luka Modric is a key player in the Croatian squad selected to participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Modric, who captains the side, is one of the most experienced players in the Croatian team and knows exactly what it takes to succeed in the world’s biggest football spectacle.
The AC Milan midfielder led his national team to a silver medal in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and a bronze medal in Qatar in 2022.
The Ballon d’Or winner helps out in defence, creates goal-scoring opportunities for his teammates, and is more than capable of scoring.
Also Read: Turkey 0-6 Spain: Mikel Merino scores hat-trick in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier
For a live score of the England vs Croatia fixture and a detailed match timeline, including scorers, cards, and substitutions, visit our live scores page.
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