On a November evening at Wembley, Harry Kane stepped into a place in England's history that few footballers ever reach, earning his 126th cap and passing the former goalkeeper Peter Shilton as the nation's most capped player. He marked the occasion with a penalty that followed a careful VAR review, and it helped secure a 2-1 win over Croatia that carries England into the Nations League quarterfinals. The moment reads as much like a story about persistence and shared memory as about a single match, a captain's long service being formally recognised by a crowd and a team still searching for its
Harry Kane Breaks England Caps Record as Three Lions Book Nations League Quarterfinal Spot
England's Finest, read the banner above Kane's 126th cap
Mark
Kane passed Shilton on the night he appeared, but he also scored. Was that the story of the match?
Mimi
It was the headline, certainly. He got the cap at kickoff, with the banner and Shilton and Prince William there, and then the penalty that won it. But the game itself was a bit untidy.
Mark
Untidy how?
Mimi
Rogers' goal came after Gvardiol got tangled up when he had a chance to clear. And Croatia's equaliser came from a bad header by Quansah. Then Quansah was the one fouled for the penalty.
Luke
So Quansah gave one goal away and won the penalty for the other. Do we know the penalty was clear-cut?
Mimi
Only that the referee, Morten Krogh, didn't give it at first and changed his mind at the monitor after the VAR sent him there. The report doesn't say more than the shirt was tugged.
Mark
Croatia had lost 7-0 last month. Did that shape this match?
Mimi
Bilic's side were determined not to repeat it, and they looked much more solid. Sucic's equaliser and Vlasic's near miss kept it tight.
Luke
Worth saying the 'determined' part is the report's reading of their intent. What we can see is the result and the chances.
Mark
And Sunday?
Mimi
Madrid. England lost 3-2 to Spain in the opener, and Kane said they felt they'd left something out there.
Luke
Which is his view, not a forecast. The quarterfinal place is secure, but whether they top the group is still open.
Le Pouls
- A stubborn Croatian side, humbled 7-0 in Rijeka, arrived at Wembley determined to erase that memory and pressed England hard.
- Croatia struck back against the run of play when a misdirected header from Jarell Quansah fell to Petar Sucic, levelling the score just before the hour.
- A tugged shirt in the box, a VAR review and a pointed finger sent Kane to the spot, and he calmly restored England's lead.
- With the quarterfinal place secured, England now turn their attention to Madrid on Sunday, where a win over Spain could avenge their earlier defeat and take top spot in Group A3.
On a November evening at Wembley, Harry Kane stepped into a place in England's history that few footballers ever reach, earning his 126th cap and passing the former goalkeeper Peter Shilton as the nation's most capped player. He marked the occasion with a penalty that followed a careful VAR review, and it helped secure a 2-1 win over Croatia that carries England into the Nations League quarterfinals. The moment reads as much like a story about persistence and shared memory as about a single match, a captain's long service being formally recognised by a crowd and a team still searching for its best form.
Before kickoff at Wembley, a giant banner bearing Harry Kane's face and the words "England's Finest" greeted the 33-year-old captain as he prepared for his 126th cap. It was enough to move him past Peter Shilton, the former goalkeeper he had been level with, and the pre-match ceremony gathered Shilton and Prince William to honour the moment.
Croatia came to London with something to prove after their heavy defeat in Rijeka last month, and they competed far more tightly than that scoreline suggested. The first half offered little rhythm, and England's breakthrough came in the 24th minute with a slightly fortunate touch: Bellingham's cushioned ball across the box was poked in by Morgan Rogers after Gvardiol got tangled up trying to clear.
Croatia equalised just before the hour, when Quansah's misdirected header dropped to Petar Sucic, who finished. Soon after, Quansah himself was the one fouled in the box, and after a VAR check Kane stepped up and restored England's lead. Croatia still threatened through Vlasic, and England had a third disallowed for offside, but the win held.
The result leaves England second in Group A3 and set for the Nations League quarterfinals in March. On Sunday they face Spain in Madrid, the team that beat them 3-2 at Wembley earlier in the competition. Kane said the squad wanted to take each game as it came and prove themselves under Thomas Tuchel.
Before kickoff at Wembley on Thursday, a giant banner was unfurled with a photograph of Harry Kane and two words: "England's Finest." The 33-year-old captain was about to win his 126th cap, moving clear of Peter Shilton, the former goalkeeper with whom he had been tied. Shilton was part of a pre-match presentation honouring Kane, alongside Prince William, patron of the Football Association.
The match itself ended 2-1 to England over Croatia, a result that lifted them to second place in Group A3 behind Spain and confirmed their place in the Nations League quarterfinals, which will be played in March. Kane marked his record appearance with the winning goal from the penalty spot.
Croatia arrived with something to prove. Slaven Bilic's side had been beaten 7-0 by England in Rijeka last month, and they looked far more solid from the start in London. Neither team found much rhythm early on. Elliot Anderson fired over in the 16th minute, and Josip Misic sent a shot wide around the midway point of the first half.
England broke through in the 24th minute, in slightly fortuitous fashion. Kane floated a ball to Jude Bellingham on the right of the penalty area, and Bellingham cushioned it first time across the box toward Morgan Rogers. Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol had a chance to clear but got tangled up, and Rogers poked the ball past goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic. England pushed for a second before the break but did not find one.
The hosts were again the sharper side at the start of the second half, but Croatia equalised just before the hour, against the run of play. Jarell Quansah, the Bayer Leverkusen defender, misdirected a close-range header from a Croatian corner back toward Jordan Pickford. The ball fell to Petar Sucic, who stabbed it home.
Quansah was at the centre of the next significant moment, too, this time as the player wronged. His shirt was tugged in the penalty area minutes later. Referee Morten Krogh did not award a penalty at first, but the VAR sent him to the monitor, and he pointed to the spot. Kane drilled the penalty home for his 92nd England goal, extending his own record.
Croatia were not finished. Nikola Vlasic fired just wide of Pickford's goal, giving England a scare. At the other end, James Garner thought he had added a third after a cut-back from Bellingham, but the goal was ruled out because Bellingham was offside when he received the ball.
The result sets up a meeting with the team above them. England travel to Madrid on Sunday to face Spain, the world champions, who beat Czechia 2-0 in Prague on Thursday. Spain also beat England 3-2 in their Nations League opener at Wembley. Kane told ITV the team felt they had left something out there that day. "We said to ourselves, 'Let's win every game until the next one and see what happens,'" he said, calling Sunday a perfect opportunity to prove themselves under Thomas Tuchel.
Citations marquantes
We said to ourselves, 'Let's win every game until the next one and see what happens.'— Harry Kane, speaking to ITV
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