Few international rivalries in modern football carry as much emotional weight for English supporters as the one with Croatia. With England vs Croatia betting markets already open ahead of their Group L clash in Dallas on 17 June, the fixture arrives loaded with history, resentment, and the specific kind of unfinished business that only a World Cup semi-final defeat can create.
England have five wins, three losses, and one draw in all competitive and friendly fixtures against Croatia. At World Cups specifically, Croatia lead one to nil, and that one result sits at the heart of everything.
The Humiliation: Euro 2008 Qualifying
The rivalry began in earnest not with glory but with embarrassment. Steve McClaren’s England needed only a draw at Wembley in November 2007 to qualify for Euro 2008.
Croatia won 3-2 on a rain-soaked night that ended McClaren’s tenure and produced the defining image of his reign: the manager stood in a dugout under an umbrella as England’s qualifying campaign collapsed around him.
They had already lost 2-0 in Zagreb earlier in the campaign. It was the first time England had failed to qualify for a major tournament since 1994, and Croatia were the architects of that humiliation.
The Revenge: 2009 and 2010 Qualifying
Fabio Capello’s response was swift and emphatic. England won 4-1 in Zagreb in September 2008, then produced their most complete performance in years at Wembley the following month, winning 5-1 with goals from Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, and Emile Heskey.
It was a performance that exorcised some ghosts and sent a clear message about the direction of the new regime. England topped the qualifying group with ease, and Croatia did not reach the 2010 World Cup.
The Heartbreak: 2018 World Cup Semi-Final
The defining chapter. England reached their first World Cup semi-final since 1990 in Moscow, and Kieran Trippier’s stunning free-kick inside five minutes gave Gareth Southgate’s side the perfect start. For an hour, England controlled the match, and a first World Cup final since 1966 seemed entirely possible.
Ivan Perisic’s equaliser changed everything. Luka Modric, outstanding throughout the tournament, drove his side forward in extra time, and Mario Mandzukic’s finish with nine minutes remaining sent Croatia to the final and England home. The manner of the defeat, leading for so long and then conceding twice, carved itself deeply into the national consciousness.
The Reset: Nations League and Euro 2020
England had the better of subsequent meetings. A 2-1 Nations League win in October 2018 provided immediate consolation, and at Euro 2020, Raheem Sterling’s first-half goal gave England a composed 1-0 victory at Wembley in their tournament opener.
It was not a vintage performance, but it was a statement: England had moved past Moscow and were no longer haunted by the result in the same way. World Cup odds heading into 2026 reflect England as comfortable favourites to win Group L, and Croatia’s ageing squad makes that assessment defensible. But the history between these sides has a habit of complicating the straightforward, and no England supporter will be taking anything for granted on 17 June.
