England Rout Croatia 7-0 as Kane Nears Shilton's Caps Record

Harry Kane says England's 7-0 Nations League demolition of Croatia in Rijeka sent a message across Europe as he prepares to draw level with Peter Shilton on 125 caps.

England produced the biggest win of Thomas Tuchel's reign on Saturday, defeating Croatia 7-0 in their UEFA Nations League match in Rijeka. Captain Harry Kane said the performance sent a message to the top sides in Europe. He also views the display as a template for how England want to play as they build toward co-hosting Euro 2028.

Kane and Bukayo Saka each scored twice, while Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers added one goal apiece. The result was the heaviest defeat Croatia have ever suffered.

Kane said the team kept pushing for more even after moving 1-0 up, going for two, three and four goals, and argued that has to be England's mentality. "It's just relentless. It's non-stop," he said. "You get four, you want five."

The striker added that a playing style cannot be applied only when it suits, and that carrying a hungrier mindset matters most in the biggest games and the biggest tournaments. Matches like Saturday's, he said, will help the team make that change.

The performance differed sharply from England's World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina in July, when Tuchel adopted a defensive game plan in the closing stages and the team's edge disappeared. In Rijeka, the speed and sharpness in attack that had been lacking late in that tournament returned, and Kane said England had shown they should not be underestimated by Europe's leading sides.

Kane cautioned that the scoreline should not be taken for granted, noting England were facing "a really good side" in a match that could have proved tricky. He said wins of this kind send messages not just within the squad but to teams around Europe, something he believes England have done again. The captain described a young, hungry side with several players in top form, saying everyone was excited to be on the pitch and that such performances only add motivation.

The game also brought personal milestones into view for Kane, a 33-year-old Bayern Munich forward whose double lifted him to 89 goals in 124 internationals. Against Czechia at Wembley on Tuesday, he is set to draw level with Peter Shilton on 125 caps and become England's joint highest-capped player.

Kane sits 11 goals short of a century of international goals and said the target is drawing nearer with every appearance. He called 100 a nice round figure that would be "incredible" to reach, while noting Tuesday's game will be special in its own right because of the caps milestone.

England's next fixture is against Czechia on Tuesday, October 6, at 2:45 PM EDT at Wembley Stadium. Croatia are also in action that day, hosting Spain at 2:45 PM EDT at Stadion Poljud.