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England and Croatia are set to clash in the World Cup 2026 group stage, reigniting one of international football’s more captivating recent rivalries. But which of the two nations holds the upper hand historically?

England’s World Cup campaign begins with a high-stakes encounter against Croatia — a team that has become a familiar opponent for the Three Lions in recent years.

In Group L of the World Cup 2026, both England and Croatia are widely regarded as the standout sides, setting up what promises to be an enthralling contest when they meet in the opening fixture.

With Thomas Tuchel now at the helm, England will be eager to make a strong start. However, a look back at the history between the two nations reveals how evenly matched they’ve been across decades of competition.

Although it may seem like Croatia and England face each other regularly, that impression is somewhat deceptive. In reality, the two nations have met just 11 times throughout their footballing history.

Out of those 11 encounters, England have come out on top six times, while Croatia have triumphed on three occasions. The remaining two fixtures ended in draws.

Interestingly, four of those 11 matches have taken place in the last eight years, underlining how recent this rivalry has become.

One of the most memorable meetings came in the 2018 World Cup semi-final, where Croatia edged England 2-1 after extra time. Kieran Trippier had given Gareth Southgate’s side an early lead with a stunning free-kick, only for Croatia to mount a spirited comeback that ended England’s dream of reaching the final.

Since that heartbreak, England have reasserted their authority. They drew and then defeated Croatia in the Nations League later in 2018, before sealing a 1-0 win in the Euro 2020 group stage thanks to a goal from Raheem Sterling.

However, Croatia have previously been responsible for one of England’s most painful setbacks. They beat Steve McClaren’s side twice in qualifying for Euro 2008 — a campaign that saw England fail to qualify for the tournament.

England managed to exact revenge soon after, defeating Croatia 4-1 and 5-1 during World Cup 2010 qualification. Theo Walcott netted a memorable hat-trick in the first meeting, while Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard each scored twice in the return fixture.

Head-to-head record

Date

Result

Competition

24 April 1996 – England 0-0 Croatia (Friendly)

20 August 2003 – England 3-1 Croatia (Friendly)

21 June 2004 – Croatia 2-4 England (Euro 2004)

11 October 2006 – Croatia 2-0 England (Euro 2008 qualifiers)

21 November 2007 – England 2-3 Croatia (Euro 2008 qualifiers)

10 September 2008 – Croatia 1-4 England (World Cup 2010 qualifiers)

9 September 2009 – England 5-1 Croatia (World Cup 2010 qualifiers)

11 July 2018 – Croatia 2-1 England (World Cup 2018)

12 October 2018 – Croatia 0-0 England (Nations League)

18 November 2018 – England 2-1 Croatia (Nations League)

13 June 2021 – England 1-0 Croatia (Euro 2020)

As the two sides prepare for their World Cup 2026 showdown, the margins are likely to be razor-thin once again. A single goal could well decide the outcome.

If Thomas Tuchel gets his tactics and team selection right, England could not only start their campaign on a positive note but also stretch their unbeaten run against Croatia to four games.