England vs Croatia: Looking back at the classic meetings between the two sides ahead of crunch UEFA Nations League clash

England vs Croatia: Looking back at the classic meetings between the two sides ahead of crunch UEFA Nations League clash
England take on Croatia in what is set to be a nerve-wracking UEFA Nations League match at Wembley on Sunday – a game you can listen to live on talkSPORT, kick-off 2pm.There is a huge amount at stake as a win for the Three Lions will see them reach the finals of the inaugural competition.7

Can England book their place in the final stage of the Nations League?

However, a score draw or a defeat will see Gareth Southgate’s men relegated to the second tier in what is the tenth occasion England and Croatia will have met.England vs Croatia Nations League match previewThe last time they played produced a fairly uneventful goalless draw behind closed doors in Rijeka but there have been some classic matches over the years.Below you can see six of the most memorable England matches against Croatia.

Rooney runs riot – Croatia 2-4 England (Euro 2004)

England only needed a draw to reach the last eight of Euro 2004 but Wayne Rooney, who was 18-years-old at the time, had other ideas.After Paul Scholes cancelled out Niko Kovac’s early goal, Rooney took the game by the scruff of the neck and murdered the Croatian defence – bagging a brace en route to the comfortable win.This was as good as things got for England at the tournament after losing to hosts Portugal in the quarter-finals and arguably as good as it got in England colours for Rooney.Wayne Rooneys five best England matches7

Rooney’s four-goal haul at Euro 2004 was his best performance at a major tournament for his country

Paul Robinson’s howler – Croatia 2-0 England (Euro 2008 qualifier)

It was a pretty abject display from Steve McLaren’s Three Lions but this game will always be remembered for one catastrophic mistakes from goalkeeper Paul Robinson.After Eduardo’s looping header gave the home side the lead, Gary Neville gave Robinson a routine backpass as England chased the game.However, the ball hit a bump on the pitch, going past Robinson’s swinging foot and into the net.7

When in doubt you can always blame the turf

It summed up a wretched game and Euro 2008 qualifying campaign for England, as you’ll see later.

‘A wally with a brolly’ – England 2-3 Croatia (Euro 2008 qualifier)

Although England were terrible in their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, their destiny was in their own hands going into the final match at home to Croatia – needing just a point to make it to Switzerland and Austria.However, a dreadful error from Three Lions custodian Scott Carson set England on their way to a dismal 3-2 loss to Slaven Bilic’s Croatia in November 2007.The loss saw Steve McLaren dismissed as England boss by the Football Association, who hired Fabio Capello a month later.7

McLaren’s time at the England helm was short-lived

However, this was not before the Daily Mail labelled McLaren as ‘A wally with a brolly’ after he was photographed holding an umbrella during the rainy match.

Wicked Walcott – Croatia 1-4 England (World Cup 2010 qualifier)

There was huge hype about Theo Walcott when he was banging in goals left, right and centre for Southampton, which even led to him being given a stunning call-up for England’s 2006 World Cup squad.And his brilliant hat-trick during England’s 2010 World Cup qualifier victory over Croatia appeared to mark the occasion where the former Arsenal star would come of age.The win in September 2008 set England on their way to qualify for South Africa with ease but Walcott would not play a part in the tournament after somehow failing to make Capello’s final squad.7

Walcott scored three of his eight international goals in that game

England’s false hope – England 5-1 Croatia (World Cup 2010 qualifier)

And England booked their place at the 2010 World Cup in emphatic fashion with a 5-1 drubbing of Croatia in September 2009.Doubles from Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard as well as Rooney’s goal gave England fans all sorts of belief that they could make an impact the following summer.7

This was arguably’s England’s best display under Capello

However, it proved to be same old England at a major tournament as they scraped through to the knockouts, just about finishing second in a group containing the USA, Algeria and Slovenia.Capello’s men were torn apart by Germany in the last-16, losing 4-1 and the impressive qualifying displays became a very very distant memory from that point.

Ghost of 1966 returns – Croatia 2-1 England (World Cup 2018)

It seemed like football really was coming home when Kieran Trippier beautifully curled home a free-kick in the fifth minute of the 2018 World Cup semi-final clash.However, the Three Lions were unable to reach their first final since 1966 as goals from Ivan Perisic and Mario Mandzukic completed a turnaround win for the gifted Croatia side after extra-time.7

The moment that sent the England team and the entire nation into a frenzy!

Not that Southgate’s men needed any more incentive to beat Croatia but a Nations League triumph over their World Cup conquerors would be a decent consolation for the heartache in Russia.

---

RAMUNERATION Aaron Ramsey to earn £300k-a-week at Juventus making him second highest paid British player ever… so were Arsenal right to get rid?
Top 10 highest-earning British footballers after Ramsey switch

---

Arsenal are plotting a shock summer move for Tottenham defender and Manchester United target Toby Alderweireld, according to reports. Spurs triggered a 12-month extension on the Belgian's deal at the beginning of the year after failing to reach an..
Arsenal news : Transfer News: Arsenal eye SHOCK Tottenham

---

~ PFA Championship Team of the Year: Leeds United and Norwich City have three players in XI while Chelsea loanee Tammy Abraham also included ~ Kenya Latest
Norwich and Leeds Utd dominate PFA Championship team of the year

---

Rangers star Alfredo Morelos could be left sweating till Thursday over SFA ban for three flashpoints against Celtic Referee John Beaton took no action against Morelos during Saturday's 1-0 Old
Rangers star Alfredo Morelos sweating over possible ban for

---

Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour has revealed that the Gunners need a transfer overhaul ahead of this summer's transfer window. The Arsenal legend talked about his former club and transfers while he was doing his punditry work with British radio TalkSport. According to him, Manchester United are not the only major Premier League club in
Arsenal legend Parlour: Emery needs Man Utd-like clearout

---

MANCHESTER UNITED'S crushing win against Cardiff proved the squad stopped playing for Jose Mourinho, claims Ray Parlour. United chief Ed Woodward took action after another poor showing at Liverpool and sacked Mourinho after the club's worst ever start to a Premier League campaign.
Manchester Uniteds win at Cardiff proves players downed tools

---

Welcome to SpursNews.com the web's original unofficial news source since 2006 for all the latest Tottenham Hotspur News 24 hours a day from the best news sources. For the past 10 years we've been aggregating Spurs transfer news and all other Spurs news stories, from the best Tottenham Hotspur blogs and news sites.
Moussa Sissoko hints that Mauricio Pochettino could LEAVE

---

Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Leicester City: Spurs maintain title hopes with Wembley win. Tottenham host Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie on Wednesday (20
Tottenham's route to the Champions League final

---

Manchester United news: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer doesn't want to leave 'great bunch of players' in the summer The interim boss has won all four of his games in charge of United since Jose
Manchester United news: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer doesn't want to

---

Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic reacts to costing a punter a small fortune after Oldham. Cottagers dumped out the FA Cup in the third round.
Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic responds to punter who

---

REVEALED: How Chelsea could line up next season (with Varane, Koke AND Pogba) EXPRESS SPORT has dug out our crystal ball to predict how Chelsea could line up next season.
Chelsea News: Real Madrid 'prepare £430m raid on European

---

Serge Aurier in, Dele Alli out: Tottenham's probable XI vs PSV. Spurs must win to keep their Champions League hopes alive. and Mousa Dembele (ankle) are all on Tottenham's injury treatment
Tottenham Hotspur Team News - Rotoworld.com

---

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has dismissed criticism of his haircut and body language saying that he is "judged differently" to other players. The French World Cup-winner was a
Paul Pogba breaks silence on Barcelona transfer talk and Man

---

Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson believes Manchester City have just about done enough to clinch the Premier League. Pep Guardiola's men sit just one point clear of Liverpool in the title
BBC - Phil McNulty: Can Manchester United beat Barcelona?

---