Spain seeks qualification against wounded Croatia... and Kane on course to equal Shilton

Coach Luis de la Fuente’s side extended their winning streak to ten matches and maintained their unbeaten record for the 41st consecutive game, further strengthening their record.

The Spaniards' last match against Czechia (3-1 in Oviedo) saw captain Rodri score his first goal for the national team in over two years.

The current Barcelona midfielder said, "It is always special to score for the national team. I haven't been scoring many goals lately, so let's see if I’ve regained that effectiveness. This is important, as we all must contribute to scoring goals."

After scoring in the opening two minutes against England and Croatia (4-1), Lamine Yamal continued his early striking by scoring against Czechia in the sixth minute.

Completely unacceptable

The 19-year-old said, "We are performing well and I am very happy. I was eager to return to the national team after the World Cup, and there is no better way than this."

De la Fuente put his hands on his head in sheer astonishment at Yamal’s goal, which was the Barcelona player's twelfth in his last nine games for club and country.

De la Fuente said, "I think he never stops amazing us... He possesses immense talent and great quality," adding, "He still has a lot to offer because he is a classy, highly talented player with tremendous potential."

The Spaniards travel to Split with Croatia in the worst possible shape after suffering a humiliating 7-0 defeat at home against England in the previous round, prompting veteran captain Luka Modrić to express deep frustration.

Official Croatian television quoted Modrić as saying in the mixed zone after the heaviest defeat ever for his national team, "I have been here for 20 years, but this is the first time I have felt ashamed after a match."

He added, "Losing can happen, and that is not the problem. But to lose in this way and tarnish the reputation we have built with hard work over the years... this is completely unacceptable."

Kane to equal Shilton

At Wembley Stadium against Czechia, Kane will be on course to equal the record for the most appearances for the England national team held by former goalkeeper Peter Shilton (125 between 1970 and 1990).

Kane started his journey with the Three Lions against Lithuania in 2015, scoring just two minutes after coming on as a substitute in that match. Since then, he has rarely gone through goalscoring droughts in the Three Lions shirt.

The 33-year-old holds the record for the most goals for his country (89), the latest of which was a brace in the crushing win over Croatia.

The Bayern Munich star has been an inspiring captain and a key pillar for the national team through periods of success and failure over the past 11 years.

Roy Hodgson gave the former Tottenham player his first international cap for England, before the striker worked under Sam Allardyce, Gareth Southgate, Lee Carsley, and now German Thomas Tuchel.

Yet even having a player with exceptional goalscoring instinct and remarkable consistency like Kane was not enough to end England's long and painful wait for their first major title since the 1966 World Cup.

England lost the European Championship finals in 2021 and 2024.

Tuchel believes that Kane needs support from an outstanding midfielder if he is to follow in the footsteps of Bobby Moore, the only English captain to lift a major trophy with the national team, following Jude Bellingham’s stellar performance against Croatia on Saturday, which earned him widespread praise from teammates and analysts.

After being at risk of missing the World Cup following his omission from England's squad in October 2025, the Real Madrid star shifted from Tuchel's bad books to his favorite star status over the past 12 months.

Bellingham had drawn Tuchel's displeasure due to his emotional outbursts on the pitch, but he reclaimed his spot just in time to participate in the World Cup this summer.

Although Bellingham, rather than Kane, finished the tournament as England's top scorer, the national team's run stopped at the semi-finals with a defeat against Argentina.

Keeping Kane fit and maintaining Bellingham's stunning form will be key factors in England's quest to win Euro 2028.

The 23-year-old midfielder was completely dominant in Rijeka against Croatia, scoring a goal and providing three assists.

Tuchel noted that the relationship between Kane and Bellingham has developed significantly on and off the pitch in recent months, paving the way for this creativity and goals from the duo.