Croatia vs. England lineups confirmed: Trent Alexander-Arnold dropped, Jude Bellingham returns in quintuple change

By Ben Knapton | 03 Oct 2026 15:49, Last updated: 03 Oct 2026 16:03

England and Croatia person confirmed their starting lineups for Saturday's UEFA Nations League showdown successful Rijeka.

The Three Lions travelled to the Stadion Rujevica boasting 3 points from their opening 2 matches successful League A Group 3, having got disconnected the people with a 2-0 triumph implicit Czechia connected Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Croatia are lone beneath Thomas Tuchel's broadside connected extremity difference, pursuing their opening 2-1 occurrence implicit Czechia and 4-1 decision to Spain connected matchday two.

Tuchel has made 5 changes to the squad that started Tuesday's victory, including a arguable demotion for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who started and provided an assistance for Anthony Gordon successful midweek.

However, Tuchel has seen acceptable to beforehand Jarell Quansah to the starting XI astatine right-back, arsenic 1 of 3 antiaircraft changes from Tuesday night; Jordan Pickford returns successful extremity implicit James Trafford, portion Ezri Konsa replaces Trevoh Chalobah.

Further up the field, Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly makes mode for Alex Scott - making his afloat debut for the Three Lions - portion Jude Bellingham is backmost successful his favoured fig 10 relation implicit Morgan Rogers.

As expected, Harry Kane leads the enactment arsenic helium prepares to triumph his 124th headdress for England, putting him conscionable 1 abbreviated of equalling Peter Shilton's all-time grounds of 125.

Croatia vs. England lineups: Luka Modric makes 205th planetary appearance

However, Kane has immoderate mode to spell to lucifer his Croatian counterpart Luka Modric, who returns to the hosts' starting XI for his 205th elder planetary appearance.

The 41-year-old was lone a precocious substitute successful the nonaccomplishment to Spain but has been restored to the starting lineup implicit Josip Misic, arsenic Slaven Bilic makes nary less than six changes to his side.

Brighton & Hove Albion's Luka Vuskovic - calved aft Modric made his Croatia debut - returns astatine centre-back, portion Josip Stanisic replaces Ivan Smolcic astatine right-back aft missing the Spain decision with an illness.

Ivan Perisic has shifted to left-back to accommodate the instrumentality of Martin Baturina - who scored a stunner against England astatine the World Cup - to the frontline, portion Franjo Ivanovic replaces Marco Pasalic connected the other flank.

Petar Musa - who besides recovered the nett for Croatia against England earlier this summertime - is the sixth and last alteration for the location side, stepping successful for Dion Beljo contempt the latter's consolation against Spain.

England lineup: Pickford; Quansah, Konsa, Guehi, Hall; Anderson, Scott; Saka, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane

Subs: Trafford, Alexander-Arnold, Steele, Chalobah, Ngumoha, Branthwaite, Lewis-Skelly, Rogers, Garner, Calvert-Lewin, Gibbs-White, Eze

Croatia lineup: Livakovic; Stanisic, Vuskovic, Gvardiol, Perisic; Modric, Kovacic; Ivanovic, Sucic, Baturina; Musa

Subs: Pandur, Kotarski, Smolcic, Sutalo, Kramaric, Vlasic, Mario Pasalic, Jakic, Marco Pasalic, Matanovic, Sucic, Misic