Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterEngland's World Cup campaign kicks off with a clash against Croatia, a familiar foe in recent years for the Three Lions.When it comes to Group L at the World Cup 2026, it would be safe to say England and Croatia are the teams to watch.It should make for an interesting affair when Thomas Tuchel's side take on Croatia in the group opener, then. But, over the years, which team has the edge?England vs Croatia head-to-head recordCroatia may feel like regular opponents for England, but that's purely recency bias. In fact, the two nations have only played each other 11 times in their entire history.Of those 11 games, England have the advantage with six wins overall, while Croatia have won just three. There have been two draws between the two teams. You may like England vs Croatia prediction as Thomas Tuchel leads the Three Lions at his first major tournament England vs Croatia LIVE: Team news, lineups, and build-up to the World Cup opener Croatia vs England Team News: Predicted XI & Squad for Tonight Of the 11 meetings, four of them have come in the past eight years.You'll all remember that World Cup semi-final between England and Croatia in 2018, where the latter ended up winning in extra time. Kieran Trippier gave Gareth Southgate's men the lead with a wicked free-kick, but the Croats stormed back and broke England hearts.Get the FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Since then, England have restored their dominance, though. A draw and a win in the Nations League double-header later in 2018 was followed by a 1-0 win for England at Euro 2020, with Raheem Sterling scoring the sole goal there.Interestingly, Croatia were also at the heart of another miserable time for England. They defeated Steve McLaren's side twice in the qualifying stage for Euro 2008, a tournament the Three Lions famously missed out on.Thankfully, England got revenge soon after, hammering Croatia 4-1 and 5-1 during World Cup 2010 qualification. Theo Walcott scored a hattrick in the first game, while Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard bagged a brace each in the return fixture.Swipe to scroll horizontallyEngland vs Croatia head-to-headDateResultCompetition24 April 1996England 0-0 CroatiaFriendly20 August 2003England 3-1 CroatiaFriendly21 June 2004Croatia 2-4 EnglandEuro 200411 October 2006Croatia 2-0 EnglandEuro 2008 qualifiers21 November 2007England 2-3 CroatiaEuro 2008 qualifiers10 September 2008Croatia 1-4 EnglandWorld Cup 2010 qualifiers9 September 2009England 5-1 CroatiaWorld Cup 2010 qualifiers11 July 2018Croatia 2-1 EnglandWorld Cup 201812 October 2018Croatia 0-0 EnglandNations League18 November 2018England 2-1 CroatiaNations League13 June 2021England 1-0 CroatiaEuro 2020It's sure to be a tight game between England and Croatia at the World Cup 2026, with it likely to be just one goal separating the two sides on the night.If Tuchel gets his team selection and tactics right, he will not only get the competition off to a promising start for the Three Lions, but extend that unbeaten run against Croatia to four games.TOPICSEnglandCroatiaWorld CupJakob BarnesFreelance WriterJakob has over 11 years of experience in journalism across sports, entertainment, tech, and politics. Now a freelance news writer for FourFourTwo, he covers the biggest stories from the world of football.
