Tuchel's England Bury World Cup Woes with Croatia Thrashing 2026

Thomas Tuchel believes England have buried their World Cup woes after a stunning 6-0 thrashing of Croatia in Rijeka. The Three Lions delivered a statement performance at Stadion HNK Rijeka, handing Croatia their biggest ever defeat and easing the pain of their semi-final exit to Argentina.

England's Dominant Display in Rijeka

In a match played in front of 6,200 local schoolchildren, who were allowed in free of charge after Croatia were punished by Uefa for racist and discriminatory fan behaviour, England were relentless. Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka each scored twice, while Jude Bellingham became the first midfielder to register four goal involvements in a game since David Platt against San Marino in 1993. Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers were also on the scoresheet.

Tuchel was delighted with how his front four combined to devastating effect. "If you feel pain you have to lay with the pain," he said. "The same with disappointment. It was not easy at the beginning of the camp. We had an excellent performance against Spain. The focus in the meetings, the translation of the meetings on the pitch, to bring it within these circumstances in Croatia, to win this dominant performance is the way to move on."

Key Takeaways from England's Victory

• Statement win: England's 6-0 victory is their largest ever against Croatia and signals their intent in the Nations League.
• Bellingham's brilliance: Jude Bellingham's four goal involvements are the most by an England midfielder in a single game since 1993.
• Tuchel's tactics: The German manager's front four of Kane, Saka, Gordon, and Rogers tormented Croatia's defense all night.
• Moving on: Tuchel believes the performance helps England consign their World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina to the past.

England vs Croatia: Match Stats

What This Means for England's Nations League Campaign

England now have a firm grip on second place in their Nations League group and are confident of reaching next year's finals. The win over Croatia, combined with an excellent performance against Spain earlier in the break, has lifted the mood around the camp. Tuchel's side appear to have turned a corner, and the manager's message of embracing pain and disappointment to move forward seems to have resonated with his players.

With key players in scintillating form, England will be a force to be reckoned with in the upcoming fixtures. The challenge now is to maintain this level of performance and turn it into consistent results on the road to the Nations League finals.

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