STADION HNK, RIJEKA — Seven goals, a new No 4 and one big problem solved for Thomas Tuchel and a suddenly irresistible England.
We knew an England team spearheaded by Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham were capable of detonating like this if the manager was prepared to light the fuse.
There was always a suspicion that Alex Scott – brilliant on a full debut that came around seven months later than it should have – would give them an extra dimension in midfield.
But what we did not anticipate was Lewis Hall ending England’s left-back debate in five days.
After impressing in Prague in a slightly stodgy midweek win, Hall showed all the qualities Newcastle supporters have been crying out for him to display for England.
Gordon heads in to make it THREE! England are cruising pic.twitter.com/nqwUxFmkof
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) October 3, 2026His energy, running and understanding with the devastating Anthony Gordon make him the most natural fit for that position.
Barring injury, Hall should be in possession of the shirt for at least the next four tournament cycles.
That was probably the biggest lesson learned in Rijeka, where – if you dissect the display in isolation – England delivered one of their best away performances.
Perhaps not pound-for-pound in terms of significance, given the Nations League is the Jersey Mike’s Trophy of international football, but certainly in the way they clicked to put a genuinely competitive nation to the sword.
Tuchel has been guilty of overthinking things in 2026. His substitutions, from Atlanta to Wembley last week, have felt overthought, and his World Cup squad now looks painfully complicated.
It is understandable that he would want to find a place for the prodigiously talented Nico O’Reilly, but Hall is a more natural fit at left-back. He wants to play there, for a start, unlike the Manchester City man, who appears to prefer a midfield role.
And as Newcastle fans will attest, Hall is only getting better. Going forward, there are few better in Europe when it comes to his dynamism and determination.
‘As Newcastle fans will attest, Hall is only getting better’ (Photo: Getty)Gordon clearly appreciated it in Croatia, with the pair having formed a decent understanding at St James’ Park that can provide the platform for a left side that will be a productive route of attack leading into a home Euros England should win.
So here is a message to Tuchel: resist the temptation to tone it down in the coming months. Rijeka was a template England have to work towards and, if that means dropping or replacing some weighty talents, then so be it.
Of those sweating at home, Declan Rice might have most to fear. Tuchel still believes he is one of the best midfielders in the world – and loves the double pivot with Elliot Anderson – but Scott got England moving.
His contribution to the first of seven unanswered goals, a touch and turn so swift it unpicked an ageing Croatia, summed up his influence on a night when he transferred his Bournemouth form to the international stage.
In a summer of £100m midfielders, Chelsea trying to sign him for £70m is frankly absurd. It is also their loss. He will have the pick of Europe’s clubs when Bournemouth are prepared to listen to offers at the end of the season.
It all got a bit surreal from there. Stadion HNK Rijeka was selected as a venue because Croatia were being punished for abhorrent racism during a previous Nations League campaign, but Uefa’s behind-closed-doors sanction was nothing of the sort.
Instead, 6,000 noisy schoolchildren were bussed in from around the country, clearly delighted to be there, but perhaps unfairly dwarfing the presence of a 100-strong England contingent permitted to travel.
They unfurled a banner saying “It’s not coming home”, rather amusingly, but the joke backfired. England have had some memorable tussles with Croatia in recent years, but the gap between them has become a chasm.
Comprehensively beaten at the World Cup, this was a massacre.
At the centre of it all was Bellingham, an absolute pleasure to watch. Is it really just a few months ago that we were debating whether he should start at the World Cup? Was an argument really mounted 12 months ago that he should not even go?
Now the debate has shifted to whether he can become one of the best of all time. Roy Keane was the man who put that forward and it was not met with peals of laughter. Bellingham is 23 and on an upward trajectory. It is a seriously exciting prospect.
His goal summed up the many sides to his game. His strength and desire won the ball despite being fouled, his precise pass teed up Anderson and then his exquisite timing saw him arrive in the penalty area to dispatch past Dominik Livakovic.
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Danny Mills: I wish I’d been on the line for Ronaldinho’s free-kick Analysis: England’s seven-goal Croatia battering highlights latest “what if“ for TuchelGordon scored again, with his head again, while Bukayo Saka got two, indicating that the wide-forward debate is also settled. Kane scored again and then Morgan Rogers added a late goal as a substitute.
England were every bit as good as the scoreline suggested and the only negative was that there is not a World Cup just around the corner.
Three months on from the last one, they have emerged as the pre-eminent pretenders to Spain’s crown.
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