Croatia vs England: Can Home Advantage Tame The Three Lions?
by Thobelani Moyo | by Thobelani Moyo
Croatia: Can the Croats' home advantage tame the Three Lions?
It has been a positive start for head coach Slaven Bilić in his second stint in charge of Croatia. The 58-year-old gaffer has so far managed two games, both coming in the UEFA Nations League, and has recorded one win and one defeat. They began their campaign with a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic and lost the following match against world champions Spain 4-1.
That defeat against reigning champions came as a bitter pill to swallow as it halted an impressive five-match unbeaten run on the road. Other than that, there were signs of defensive vulnerabilities as they allowed their opponents to score four times. This was expected considering they allowed their opponents to create 1.81 xG.
Croatia's stats against Spain:
| Spain | Stats | Croatia |
|---|---|---|
| 1.81 | Expected Goals (xG) | 0.47 |
| 64% | Ball possession | 36% |
| 4 | Big chances | 1 |
| 38 | Touches in opposition box | 12 |
| 16 | Total shots | 5 |
| 6 | Shots off target | 1 |
A response is definitely needed, but the caliber of opponents they face on matchday three in Group A3 are no pushovers. They have had their own fair share of struggles when facing England in recent meetings, losing their last three matches, including their demoralising 4-2 defeat in the concluded 2026 World Cup.
However, that recent record should not necessarily weigh heavily on Croatia. The Croats have shown their mettle when playing at home as they are unbeaten in their last nine competitive home games to date (W8, D1). It must be pointed out that Croatia have also made life difficult for their opponents in front of their home crowd. There's no need to look further than their latest 0-0 draw in the UEFA Nations League that was also played behind closed doors in October 2018.
Following crowd disturbances involving Croatia supporters during their Nations League match against France in March 2025, the upcoming match will be played behind closed doors.
That should provide a welcome confidence boost for Slaven Bilić's men, who will be determined to turn that momentum into another three points and a second victory from their opening three matches.
England: The Three Lions chasing a historic record
Two months after settling for bronze in the World Cup, England returned to competitive action on a sour note. It's the same defensive issues that led to their demise in the summer tournament that were once again evident in their opening match against Spain in the UEFA Nations League - League A, Group 3.
The Three Lions began on the back foot, but equalisers from Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane saw the team take the lead before halftime. The second half proved tough, as they conceded twice, ultimately falling to a narrow 3-2 defeat at Wembley Stadium. That setback, however, didn't stop them from securing their first win when they beat the Czech Republic 2-0 on the road to redeem themselves.
So far, the team sits in third place with three points in Group A3. They are level on points with the Czech Republic in third place and have an arduous task at their hands if they are to catch up to Spain, who have already garnered six points from their opening two UEFA Nations League games.
England will be hoping to secure their second straight win in the competition for the first time since November 2024. It won't be straightforward, but it can be achievable against a side they have seen avoiding defeat in four games (W3, D1). See what our experts have to say in our Croatia vs England prediction for more insights into the game.
England's past five meetings against Croatia:
- 17 June 2026 (2026 World Cup): England 4-2 Croatia
- 13 June 2021 (European Championship): England 1-0 Croatia
- 18 November 2018 (UEFA Nations League): England 2-1 Croatia
- 12 October 2018 (UEFA Nations League): Croatia 0-0 England
- 11 July 2018 (2018 World Cup - Semi-finals): Croatia 2-1 England (AET)
Thomas Tuchel's charges have also been a force of nature on the road. They have eight straight wins to their name. Success here could see them match their historic record of nine with another victory. The last head coach to achieve this feat was Sir Alf Ramsey in 1967.
