Tuchel hails Kane and Bellingham 'love affair' after England demolish Croatia 7-0

England dismantled Croatia 7-0 in Rijeka on Saturday, their largest-ever victory over the Croatians, with Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham combining to devastating effect and leaving Thomas Tuchel convinced his front four is operating at the highest level in Europe.

The result — Croatia’s worst-ever home defeat — gave Kane and Bellingham ten goal involvements between them across just three Nations League fixtures, a statistic that underlines how quickly Tuchel has unlocked the partnership since taking charge.

“They were good in the World Cup. They get better and better. They love playing with each other. They understand each other better,” Tuchel said after the match. The England head coach revealed he had adjusted both players’ positions following the World Cup exit, pushing them further forward together. “I think Jude almost plays a little bit more offensive for us. That’s where I see him in the most dangerous position. We can overload both sides now.”

Tuchel was careful to frame individual brilliance within a collective context, pointing to wingers Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon as equally integral to what he described as a front four “on the highest level.” “I’m happy about individual performances, but I’m even more happy about the complexity of the team performance,” he added.

Kane, captaining the side, used the victory to set out England’s broader ambitions. The Bayern Munich striker argued that Nations League progression — and the high-profile quarter-final, semi-final and final it could bring against Europe’s elite — represents essential preparation for Euro 2028.

“The biggest missing piece in our team at the moment is playing the big nations consistently,” Kane said. “From our point of view, it’s not time to take our foot off the gas. It’s time to put our foot down and keep showing not just ourselves but the whole of Europe that we’re a real dominant team. Performances like this will definitely show that.”

England’s Nations League group campaign continues with the side sitting in a strong position to reach the knockout rounds, where they would face further tests against top-ranked European nations ahead of the 2028 tournament on home soil.