England vs Croatia: Looking back at the classic meetings between the two sides ahead of crunch UEFA Nations League clash

England vs Croatia: Looking back at the classic meetings between the two sides ahead of crunch UEFA Nations League clash
England take on Croatia in what is set to be a nerve-wracking UEFA Nations League match at Wembley on Sunday – a game you can listen to live on talkSPORT, kick-off 2pm.There is a huge amount at stake as a win for the Three Lions will see them reach the finals of the inaugural competition.7

Can England book their place in the final stage of the Nations League?

However, a score draw or a defeat will see Gareth Southgate’s men relegated to the second tier in what is the tenth occasion England and Croatia will have met.England vs Croatia Nations League match previewThe last time they played produced a fairly uneventful goalless draw behind closed doors in Rijeka but there have been some classic matches over the years.Below you can see six of the most memorable England matches against Croatia.

Rooney runs riot – Croatia 2-4 England (Euro 2004)

England only needed a draw to reach the last eight of Euro 2004 but Wayne Rooney, who was 18-years-old at the time, had other ideas.After Paul Scholes cancelled out Niko Kovac’s early goal, Rooney took the game by the scruff of the neck and murdered the Croatian defence – bagging a brace en route to the comfortable win.This was as good as things got for England at the tournament after losing to hosts Portugal in the quarter-finals and arguably as good as it got in England colours for Rooney.Wayne Rooneys five best England matches7

Rooney’s four-goal haul at Euro 2004 was his best performance at a major tournament for his country

Paul Robinson’s howler – Croatia 2-0 England (Euro 2008 qualifier)

It was a pretty abject display from Steve McLaren’s Three Lions but this game will always be remembered for one catastrophic mistakes from goalkeeper Paul Robinson.After Eduardo’s looping header gave the home side the lead, Gary Neville gave Robinson a routine backpass as England chased the game.However, the ball hit a bump on the pitch, going past Robinson’s swinging foot and into the net.7

When in doubt you can always blame the turf

It summed up a wretched game and Euro 2008 qualifying campaign for England, as you’ll see later.

‘A wally with a brolly’ – England 2-3 Croatia (Euro 2008 qualifier)

Although England were terrible in their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, their destiny was in their own hands going into the final match at home to Croatia – needing just a point to make it to Switzerland and Austria.However, a dreadful error from Three Lions custodian Scott Carson set England on their way to a dismal 3-2 loss to Slaven Bilic’s Croatia in November 2007.The loss saw Steve McLaren dismissed as England boss by the Football Association, who hired Fabio Capello a month later.7

McLaren’s time at the England helm was short-lived

However, this was not before the Daily Mail labelled McLaren as ‘A wally with a brolly’ after he was photographed holding an umbrella during the rainy match.

Wicked Walcott – Croatia 1-4 England (World Cup 2010 qualifier)

There was huge hype about Theo Walcott when he was banging in goals left, right and centre for Southampton, which even led to him being given a stunning call-up for England’s 2006 World Cup squad.And his brilliant hat-trick during England’s 2010 World Cup qualifier victory over Croatia appeared to mark the occasion where the former Arsenal star would come of age.The win in September 2008 set England on their way to qualify for South Africa with ease but Walcott would not play a part in the tournament after somehow failing to make Capello’s final squad.7

Walcott scored three of his eight international goals in that game

England’s false hope – England 5-1 Croatia (World Cup 2010 qualifier)

And England booked their place at the 2010 World Cup in emphatic fashion with a 5-1 drubbing of Croatia in September 2009.Doubles from Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard as well as Rooney’s goal gave England fans all sorts of belief that they could make an impact the following summer.7

This was arguably’s England’s best display under Capello

However, it proved to be same old England at a major tournament as they scraped through to the knockouts, just about finishing second in a group containing the USA, Algeria and Slovenia.Capello’s men were torn apart by Germany in the last-16, losing 4-1 and the impressive qualifying displays became a very very distant memory from that point.

Ghost of 1966 returns – Croatia 2-1 England (World Cup 2018)

It seemed like football really was coming home when Kieran Trippier beautifully curled home a free-kick in the fifth minute of the 2018 World Cup semi-final clash.However, the Three Lions were unable to reach their first final since 1966 as goals from Ivan Perisic and Mario Mandzukic completed a turnaround win for the gifted Croatia side after extra-time.7

The moment that sent the England team and the entire nation into a frenzy!

Not that Southgate’s men needed any more incentive to beat Croatia but a Nations League triumph over their World Cup conquerors would be a decent consolation for the heartache in Russia.

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