LONDON — Gabby Agbonlahor did not hold back after England demolished Croatia 7-0 in Rijeka, describing the home side’s defending as so poor that he struggled to believe what he was watching.
England produced one of the most emphatic performances of the Thomas Tuchel era on Saturday, October 3, scoring seven times without reply in a UEFA Nations League Group A3 match.
Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka scored twice each, while Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers also found the net. Bellingham delivered a sensational individual performance with a goal and three assists as England overwhelmed Croatia from the opening whistle.
For former Aston Villa striker Agbonlahor, however, the result was as much about Croatia’s collapse as England’s brilliance.
“They played like a team that was on strike,” Agbonlahor said.
He was particularly critical of Croatia’s defending, arguing that England repeatedly found enormous spaces and received almost no resistance from the home side.
Agbonlahor Rips Into Croatia’s Defense
Agbonlahor singled out several experienced Croatian players while discussing what he considered an extraordinary defensive performance.
He pointed to Josko Gvardiol and Josip Sutalo in central defense, Josip Stanisic at right back and Ivan Perisic on the left.
“Those two center backs there, I know, are very good Premier League center backs, and they were terrible,” Agbonlahor said.
He also questioned Croatia’s decision to use the veteran Perisic at left back and criticized the lack of pace and aggression throughout the team.
“Stanisic, a right back, Bayern Munich player, he was nowhere to be found,” he added. “Kovacic and Modric looked their age in midfield.”
Croatia’s starting goalkeeper was Dominik Livakovic, while Bayern Munich defender Stanisic and Manchester City center back Gvardiol were among the players England repeatedly exposed.
The result ultimately became the heaviest defeat in Croatia’s history. England also recorded their biggest-ever Nations League victory.
Saka Goal Exposes Croatia’s Defensive Collapse
One moment particularly infuriated Agbonlahor.
He focused on Bukayo Saka’s first goal, which put England 4-0 ahead just before halftime.
The former Premier League striker could not understand how a Croatian defender could leave Saka with so much space near the goal.
“Go back and look at Saka’s goal, the first goal,” Agbonlahor said. “Where does your boy go? That is the worst.”
He admitted that he watched the sequence several times because he initially thought there had to be another explanation for the defensive mistake.
“I had to watch it three times,” he said. “I thought, no, he must have done something else or somebody must have shouted to him.”
Instead, Agbonlahor saw a defensive breakdown that he believed summed up Croatia’s night.
England had already established complete control before halftime, taking a 4-0 lead into the break. The Three Lions then continued attacking after the interval rather than simply protecting the scoreline.
England Refuse to Take Their Foot Off the Gas
That relentless approach impressed Agbonlahor almost as much as the seven goals.
England recorded 10 shots on target compared with Croatia’s one, while the visitors controlled the match for long stretches and repeatedly created dangerous opportunities.
Kane scored twice, Saka added two, Bellingham scored once, Gordon headed in another and Morgan Rogers completed the rout late in the second half.
England could have scored even more.
Agbonlahor pointed to missed chances from Eberechi Eze and Saka and suggested the scoreline could easily have reached double figures.
“It should have been 10-0,” he said.
The margin of victory was not only England’s biggest win over Croatia. It also matched the Three Lions’ biggest victory since their 7-0 win over North Macedonia in June 2023.
Jude Bellingham Sparks England’s New Confidence
While Agbonlahor attacked Croatia’s performance, he reserved his biggest praise for Jude Bellingham.
The Real Madrid midfielder produced arguably his most influential performance for England, scoring once and creating three goals.
Bellingham’s three assists marked the first time he had directly contributed to more than two goals in a single England match. He also became the first England player to register three assists in one game since Trent Alexander-Arnold against San Marino in 2021.
Agbonlahor believes Bellingham has the qualities required to become one of England’s greatest-ever players.
“He’s an elite player,” Agbonlahor said. “He’s one of probably two world-class players.”
He was especially impressed by Bellingham’s physical strength and mentality.
“He’s six foot three, strong, aggressive,” Agbonlahor said. “You want to battle with him.”
The midfielder’s ability to operate between the lines, carry the ball, score, create chances and contribute defensively makes him an increasingly important part of Tuchel’s England.
Agbonlahor went even further with his prediction.
“If he carries on like this, he will be our greatest player ever,” he said.
That is an enormous claim considering Bellingham is still only 23, but his influence on England has grown rapidly.
Roy Keane Also Predicts a Special Future
Agbonlahor’s assessment came after former Manchester United captain Roy Keane offered similarly huge praise for Bellingham.
Keane said the midfielder could eventually become one of the greatest players of all time after watching his performance against Croatia. Bellingham’s display included a goal and three assists in England’s seven-goal demolition.
The reaction reflects how quickly Bellingham’s status has changed.
He is no longer simply one of England’s most promising young players. He has become one of the team’s central figures and increasingly appears capable of deciding major international matches.
Questions Remain for Thomas Tuchel
Despite the celebrations, the performance did not completely erase the questions surrounding Thomas Tuchel.
England’s 7-0 victory came after criticism of the team’s performance against Spain, particularly after a defeat that raised doubts about whether Tuchel could find the right tactical formula against elite opposition.
Agbonlahor argued that the Croatia result demonstrated what England should look like when the system works.
“That 90 minutes is what we want from England,” he said.
But he also urged supporters not to get carried away.
England still have Spain waiting later in the Nations League campaign, and that match could provide a much more demanding test of Tuchel’s tactical progress.
The Three Lions currently sit second in their group with six points, three behind Spain. Croatia remain third with three points.
Croatia’s Golden Generation Nears the End
For Croatia, the defeat raised uncomfortable questions about the future of a team that has remained competitive on the international stage for years.
Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic and Perisic represent the older generation, while players such as Gvardiol and Stanisic are expected to form part of the next era.
Agbonlahor believes Croatia’s famous golden generation is now coming to an end.
“Their golden generation’s over,” he said, pointing to a lack of pace, aggression and intensity among the next wave of players.
The scale of the defeat certainly supports the concern. Croatia had never suffered a heavier loss, while England equaled their longest-ever winning streak away from home with a ninth consecutive road victory.
Croatia’s manager is Zlatko Dalic, not Slaven Bilic as incorrectly stated in the original transcript. Dalic has led Croatia through the most successful period in the country’s history, including a World Cup final in 2018 and a third-place finish in 2022.
But the 7-0 defeat showed just how far the current squad may have to evolve.
England Can Dream, But Spain Awaits
England’s demolition of Croatia has inevitably reignited optimism around the national team.
Kane and Saka both scored twice. Gordon continued his remarkable run of goal involvements. Bellingham produced a performance of genuine world-class quality. Morgan Rogers added another goal from the bench.
The numbers underline the dominance.
England scored seven goals, registered 10 shots on target and led 4-0 at halftime. Croatia managed just one shot on target.
Yet the real test of Tuchel’s England will come when the opposition can match them technically, physically and tactically.
For now, though, Agbonlahor believes England have every reason to enjoy the result.
“They were very good,” he said. “They were professional. They were relentless, the way they kept going for goals and goals.”
After seven goals in Rijeka, England’s supporters have plenty of reasons to dream.
But the next serious test will determine whether this was simply a spectacular night against a struggling Croatia side or a sign that Tuchel has finally unlocked England’s full attacking potential. (*)
