Harry Kane marked his record 126th England cap with the winning goal, scoring from the penalty spot as England beat Croatia 2-1 at Wembley on Thursday to book a place in the Nations League quarter-finals.
Key Points
- Harry Kane record 126th cap — the England captain passed Peter Shilton to become the most-capped player in the history of the men’s team.
- Kane’s 64th-minute penalty, his 92nd goal for England, settled a 2-1 win over Croatia at Wembley.
- Morgan Rogers put England ahead in the 24th minute before Petar Sucic equalised for Croatia on the hour mark.
- England moved to 12 points from five matches in Group A3, ensuring a quarter-final place next March.
The night was built around Kane before a ball was kicked. Having matched Peter Shilton’s benchmark during the last international break, the Bayern Munich striker became England’s most-capped player with his 126th appearance, passing Shilton, who won 125 caps between 1970 and 1990. England laid on a large celebration for the Ballon d’Or winner on a historic appearance — and then the captain delivered the ending the occasion demanded.
How the match turned
England took the lead in the 24th minute through Morgan Rogers. Kane started the move, lofting a wonderful pass for Jude Bellingham to volley into the six-yard box, with Rogers bundling home after the Real Madrid man’s cushioned cross. It was Rogers’ first-half breakthrough, and England went into the break ahead.
Croatia hit back on the hour mark. A mistake by Jarell Quansah allowed Petar Sucic to equalise, and for a few minutes the record night looked like it might end in disappointment. But Quansah made amends four minutes later, winning a penalty when Ivan Smolcic wrestled him to the ground at a corner. Referee Morten Krogh initially did not award it, but was sent to the monitor by the VAR and pointed to the spot. Kane clipped the penalty down the middle from 12 yards for his 92nd England goal, extending a scoring record he took from Wayne Rooney in March 2023.
Ante Budimir then headed just over from another Croatia corner as England held on. For Croatia, the result means they are out of contention for the Nations League quarter-finals.
What comes next
Thomas Tuchel’s side moved to 12 points from five matches in Group A3, ensuring they will go through to the quarter-finals next March. But the group is not settled: Spain also won on Thursday, beating Czechia 2-0, so Sunday’s visit to Madrid — where England face the world champions — will still decide who tops the table. England have a chance to avenge their 3-2 defeat against Spain in their Nations League opener.
Elsewhere on Thursday, Italy handed Zinedine Zidane his first defeat as France coach, winning at home against the French. For England, though, the night belonged to one man: the captain who passed a 55-year-old record and then scored the goal that made it matter.
For background on the week’s sport, see our report on the Rockets ending the Warriors’ eight-game winning streak, and on the Jaguars going all-in with three defensive trades. More in our Sports section.
Sources: Gulf News, “England Secure Nations League Quarter-Finals Spot as Italy Stuns Zidane’s France”; NDTV Sports, “England Secure Nations League Quarter Final Spot With Victory Over Croatia”.