England vs Croatia Prediction: Can Croatia Recover From the 7-0 at Wembley?
| Predicted score: England 3-0 Croatia Best markets: England to win and Over 2.5 goals Team news: Harry Kane is set for a record 126th England cap. Marc Guéhi and Bukayo Saka are out, and Myles Lewis-Skelly is suspended. Croatia are without the suspended Ivan Perišić. Match: Thursday, November 12, 2026, 19:45 GMT, Wembley Stadium, UEFA Nations League Group A3 |
Can Croatia bounce back at Wembley five weeks after the heaviest defeat in their history? KlinPredict doesn’t think so. Our England vs Croatia prediction is a 3-0 England win, with England to win and Over 2.5 goals as the best markets.
England host Croatia in the Nations League on Thursday, November 12, 2026, kickoff 19:45 GMT at Wembley Stadium. Captain Harry Kane is expected to start and pass Peter Shilton as England’s most-capped player. England are without the injured Marc Guéhi and Bukayo Saka and the suspended Myles Lewis-Skelly. Croatia must cope without Ivan Perišić, who was sent off against Spain.
England vs Croatia Match Details
| Competition | UEFA Nations League, League A, Group A3, Matchday 5 |
| Date | Thursday, November 12, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 19:45 GMT (20:45 in Croatia) |
| Venue | Wembley Stadium, London |
| Home team | England (Thomas Tuchel) |
| Away team | Croatia (Slaven Bilić) |
| TV | ITV (UK) |
KlinPredict’s England vs Croatia Predictions
| Market | KlinPredict Prediction | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Match Winner (1X2) | England to Win | 🟢 High |
| Double Chance | England Win or Draw (1X) | 🟢 High |
| Both Teams to Score (BTTS) | No | 🟡 Moderate |
| Over/Under 2.5 Goals | Over 2.5 | 🟢 High |
| Correct Score | 3-0 to England | 🟡 Moderate |
England vs Croatia Team News
England Team News
Kane is set to make his 126th England appearance, one more than Shilton’s record of 125. He has scored in all four of England’s Nations League games this season. Guéhi is out with a muscle injury and Saka is also missing. Lewis-Skelly serves a suspension. Ezri Konsa is listed as unavailable by several outlets, while reports name Dan Burn and late call-up James Hill as centre-back cover.
Declan Rice is back after missing the previous camp. Tuchel’s options on the right wing include Rio Ngumoha, Morgan Rogers and Morgan Gibbs-White. Predicted line-ups differ between outlets, so nothing is confirmed yet.
Croatia Team News
Perišić is suspended after his second yellow card against Spain on October 6. He had scored in that game before the red card. Luka Modrić, now 41 and the country’s most-capped player, is in the squad. Nikola Vlašić is another option, and four of his last five international goals closed out the scoring in a match. No Croatia line-up is confirmed.
England vs Croatia Tactical Analysis
England’s Midfield Shift
In Rijeka, England played a 4-2-3-1 with Elliot Anderson and Alex Scott in the double pivot. Saka, Bellingham and Gordon sat behind Kane. With Lewis-Skelly suspended and Rice back, the predicted XI pairs Rice with Anderson. The shape stays the same, but the personnel change. Rice adds ball-winning in front of a back line that is short of its first-choice centre-backs.
Croatia’s Left-Side Problem
Croatia’s confirmed XI in Rijeka listed Perišić in the back four on the left, with Gvardiol alongside Vušković in the middle. Several predicted XIs for this game show Gvardiol at left-back. If Croatia move him there, it weakens their central pairing, and it puts a reshuffled unit against England’s replacement for Saka on that flank. Saka scored twice in Rijeka, so Croatia’s defence faces a different winger this time. Perišić’s aerial threat is also gone. His header against Spain was Croatia’s only goal across their last two games against top sides.
Why the First 30 Minutes Matter
Croatia have conceded 14 goals in four group games, 11 of them in two heavy defeats by Spain and England. Their best recent display was the 2-1 home loss to Spain, where they led before Mikel Merino’s two goals turned it around. In Rijeka, England led by the 8th minute and had four goals by half-time. If England score early again, the game opens up fast, and Croatia’s recent games suggest a lot of goals either way: 13 of their last 15 internationals went over 2.5, and their last six all had at least two second-half goals.
What Happened in the Last England vs Croatia Match?
England won 7-0 in Rijeka on October 3, Croatia’s heaviest defeat on record. Four different England players scored before half-time, the first time that had happened since March 2013 against San Marino. England’s expected goals figure was 6.43 against 1.39 for Croatia, so the scoreline was no fluke.
| Minute | Scorer | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 8′ | Harry Kane | 0-1 |
| 21′ | Jude Bellingham | 0-2 |
| 39′ | Anthony Gordon | 0-3 |
| 45′ | Bukayo Saka | 0-4 |
| 53′ | Harry Kane | 0-5 |
| 68′ | Bukayo Saka | 0-6 |
| 87′ | Morgan Rogers | 0-7 |
Modrić did not hold back afterwards: “For the first time in 20 years I feel truly ashamed.” Croatia now have to answer that in front of a Wembley crowd.
England vs Croatia: Group A3 Standings
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 5 | +7 | 12 |
| England | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 3 | +11 | 9 |
| Croatia | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 14 | -10 | 3 |
| Czechia | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 10 | -8 | 0 |
The top two reach the quarter-finals, and Spain have already qualified. England have won three in a row since losing 3-2 to Spain on matchday 1, scoring 12 and conceding none. They then play Spain in Madrid on November 15, while Croatia finish at home to Czechia the same day. One caution for England: they have won only one of their four Wembley games in 2026 (one draw, two defeats).
England vs Croatia H2H: Last Six Meetings
The England vs Croatia H2H record favours England heavily, with four wins in the last six and one draw.
| Date | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 3, 2026 | Nations League | Croatia 0-7 England |
| Jun 17, 2026 | World Cup | England 4-2 Croatia |
| Jun 13, 2021 | Euro 2020 | England 1-0 Croatia |
| Nov 18, 2018 | Nations League | England 2-1 Croatia |
| Oct 12, 2018 | Nations League | Croatia 0-0 England |
| Jul 11, 2018 | World Cup semi-final | Croatia 2-1 England |
England vs Croatia by the Numbers
| Metric | England | Croatia |
|---|---|---|
| Nations League record | 3W, 0D, 1L | 1W, 0D, 3L |
| Goals scored / conceded | 14 / 3 | 4 / 14 |
| Expected goals in Rijeka | 6.43 | 1.39 |
| Over 2.5 trend | 7 of last 8 Nations League games | 13 of last 15 internationals |
| Goals per game, last five | 5.4 (England’s games) | n/a |
| Clean sheets in last three games | 3 | 0 |
England vs Croatia Prediction: The Five Markets Explained
Match Winner: England to Win. They are second in the group on 9 points, Croatia are third on 3, and the 7-0 in October showed the gap. Home advantage helps too, although the Wembley record in 2026 is a reason for some caution.
Double Chance: England Win or Draw (1X). This covers the one realistic way it goes wrong, a Croatia side that tightens up and nicks a goal.
Both Teams to Score: No. England have kept clean sheets in each of their three wins, and Croatia lose Perišić, who scored in their last game.
Over/Under 2.5 Goals: Over 2.5. England’s recent matches have averaged 5.4 goals, and Croatia’s recent games have been high scoring as well. For more on this market, see our over 2.5 goals predictions.
Correct Score: 3-0 to England. It matches the pattern of England’s last three wins, though correct-score picks always carry high variance.
England vs Croatia Prediction: FAQ
What time does England vs Croatia kick off?
Kickoff is at 19:45 GMT on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at Wembley Stadium. That is 20:45 in Croatia.
Will Harry Kane play against Croatia?
Kane is expected to start. He is set to win his 126th cap and pass Peter Shilton’s record of 125.
Who is suspended for England vs Croatia?
Myles Lewis-Skelly is suspended for England, and Ivan Perišić is suspended for Croatia.
Where can I watch England vs Croatia?
ITV shows the game in the UK. Listings in the US name FOX Sports and FuboTV.
When did Croatia last beat England?
Croatia’s last win was the 2-1 World Cup semi-final in July 2018. England have won three of the four meetings since, including the 7-0.
Final Verdict: England vs Croatia Prediction
England arrive in form, with 12 goals scored and none conceded across their last three games. Croatia come in third in the group, beaten four times in their last five, and short of Perišić. The strongest case for an upset is England’s patchy Wembley record in 2026, but the 7-0 in October makes a Croatia recovery hard to back.
KlinPredict headline prediction: England to Win
Best supporting markets: Over 2.5 Goals and BTTS: No
Correct Score: 3-0
More England vs Croatia Resources
For the official fixtures and results, see the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 fixtures page. For more previews and picks, head to the KlinPredict home page.
Prediction Methodology
This England vs Croatia prediction draws on Nations League results, the Group A3 table, the October 3 match report and expected goals data, recent head-to-head meetings, and confirmed team news. Starting line-ups were not announced at the time of writing, and anything unconfirmed has been left out rather than guessed at.
Please gamble responsibly. This preview and the predictions within it are provided for information and entertainment purposes only and are not a guarantee of any outcome. KlinPredict is not a bookmaker and does not accept wagers. If you choose to bet, only use money you can afford to lose. This content is intended for users aged 18 and over.
