The match in Rijeka was a clear illustration of the football England can produce when everything clicks. It was the performance many supporters have long believed the squad is capable of, a display that captain Harry Kane has often hinted lies just beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to emerge.
When that moment arrived, the 100 spectators in the stadium and the millions watching from home were treated to a spectacle that was exhilarating, inspiring, and deeply satisfying. At the same time, the result sparked a paradoxical feeling among England fans – a mixture of pride and irritation. The irritation stems from the fact that this brand of football is exactly what the nation hopes to see in the decisive stages of major tournaments.
It is the kind of performance that can topple the world’s elite and carry the team to the coveted trophy. While it may sound harsh to label the victory as merely a "nice game," the context is important: this was a competitive fixture against a respectable opponent.
Croatia, sitting at 14th in the FIFA rankings, is a well‑established footballing nation. England’s 7‑0 demolition on Croatian soil could be seen as a milestone, a blueprint for how the team should operate on the international stage, and a confidence‑boost for players who now have tangible proof that they can outclass the best. Yet, we must remember that just a week earlier England faced the very best – the reigning World and European champions, Spain – and fell short in a match that was also described as "nearly there." The triumph in Rijeka has, in many ways, pushed the bitterness of that World Cup semi‑final loss further into the shadows of supporters' memories.
The emotional hangover has eased, which is crucial for the faith placed in head coach Thomas Tuchel. At the start of the extended international break, Tuchel was under significant scrutiny.
His tactical decision to adopt an ultra‑defensive stance in the latter stages of the World Cup semi‑final against Argentina had sparked outrage among fans and even among some players, leading to genuine doubts about his future. The early days of the camp saw him appear moody, distracted, and visibly irritated by a media narrative that kept revisiting the Argentine defeat. In stark contrast, the performance in the modest Rijeka stadium, perched on the edge of the Adriatic, embodied Tuchel's ideal vision for England.
The team displayed speed, power, rapid passing, forward thrust, high pressing, fluid movement, and clinical finishing – the very attributes Tuchel describes as playing "the Premier League way." England's front four were relentless. After the game, Kane explained that the attackers have developed a unique understanding that creates a new level of fluidity, allowing them to interchange positions, cover for one another across the pitch, and dismantle opposing defenses. This dynamic resembles the "Total Football" philosophy pioneered by Johan Cruyff’s Netherlands in the 1970s. Tuchel refers to these intuitive links as "connections," an innate chemistry he has been urging the senior core to internalise since taking charge.
While the display was heart‑warming, several caveats remain, prompting the inevitable "but…" questions. First, Croatia fielded a weakened side compared with the formidable squads of recent years. Manager Slaven Bilić faces the daunting task of replacing the generational talent of Luka Modrić, who, at 41, is finally winding down his career, and the aging Ivan Perišić, who was exposed by Bukayo Saka and is now only four years younger than Modrić. Technically and positionally, Croatia looked sub‑par; physically they were fragile, and defensively they were porous.
England’s brilliance simply highlighted those deficiencies. Moreover, England traditionally peaks in the early part of the season, when players are fresh and the weather is milder. Summer tournaments often prove challenging due to heat and the cumulative fatigue that follows a grueling Premier League campaign.
This raises the difficult question of whether the "Premier League‑style masterclass" witnessed in Rijeka can be replicated in the high‑pressure environment of a major tournament. Kane has admitted, both after the 2024 European Championship in Germany and after the 2022 World Cup in the United States, that England has never reached its full potential in those competitions. The level of performance we saw in the Nations League third round was, by contrast, a vivid, technicolour illustration of what the team is capable of. Looking ahead, there is reason for optimism.
Young talents such as Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, and the newly‑capped, technically gifted Alex Scott are still developing, and their growth will likely elevate the squad further. The match in Croatia could be remembered as a pivotal moment in England’s evolution – a point when the players convinced themselves, and the world, that they possess the quality to take the next step toward silverware. Nevertheless, until England can reproduce this brand of football on the biggest stages against the strongest opponents, supporters will continue to oscillate between hope and anxiety. The challenge now lies in translating the fluid, high‑pressing, goal‑rich style displayed in Rijeka into consistent performances in tournaments where the stakes are highest.
Only then will the lingering doubts fade, and the dream of seeing England’s name engraved on a major trophy become a reality.