Spain vs Croatia: World Champions Eye 40-Game Win Streak | OneFootball

Spain vs Croatia will mark a return home for the World Champions for the first time since lifting the World Cup. The second round of the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League will be the second of four games Spain will play during this international break.

The Group A3 clash will take place at the iconic Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán in Seville, with the newly crowned World Champions set to celebrate their summer triumph in front of their own supporters for the first time.

However, Luis de la Fuente’s side cannot afford to get carried away. The game vs England was dodgy and Croatia have already shown in this competition that they can make things difficult for anyone. Here’s our preview for Spain vs Croatia.

Spain Begin Post-World Cup Era With Win at Wembley

Saturday’s 3-2 victory over England was an interesting test of how Spain are setting up after their World Cup victory.

Lamine Yamal opened the scoring just 90 seconds after kickoff, but England responded through Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane to turn the game around before halftime.

It was uncharacteristic from a Spain team that had conceded just one goal throughout their entire World Cup campaign. La Roja conceded twice in the opening 45 minutes at Wembley and could have fallen further behind when England were awarded a penalty after Rodri was judged to have brought down Jude Bellingham. Harry Kane stepped up, but the England captain struck the crossbar from the spot.

Spain then regained control of the contest. Substitutes Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal came on and made the difference, with both players finding the net as Spain completed a 3-2 comeback.

De la Fuente will have concerns about how easily England were able to disrupt a Spanish defense that had been so impressive throughout the World Cup. However, the result remains what matters most.

Spain have now extended their unbeaten run to 39 games and will be looking for a ninth consecutive international victory. A tighter performance in Seville will certainly be the objective now.

Croatia Remain Dangerous Despite Aging Squad

Croatia arrive in good spirits after opening their Nations League campaign with a 2-1 victory over Czechia.

Luka Modrić opened the scoring shortly after halftime before Adam Karabec equalized for the hosts. Marco Pašalić eventually restored Croatia’s lead in the 77th minute to secure three points for new manager Slaven Bilić’s side.

The Croatian team continues to be built around the core of its most recognizable names. Dominik Livaković started in goal, while Joško Gvardiol, Josip Stanišić and Ivan Perišić featured in the defense. In midfield, Modrić was joined by Mateo Kovačić, with the experienced pair continuing to play important roles for their country.

Croatia cannot be taken lightly, whether the competition is the World Cup or the Nations League.

Spain vs Croatia: Head-to-Head Record

The two sides have met 11 times since their first encounter in 1994.

Spain have won six of those meetings, Croatia have won three, and the sides have drawn twice. Spain have also scored 24 goals to Croatia’s 12 across those 11 matches.

Their most recent meeting came at Euro 2024, when Spain produced a convincing 3-0 victory in Berlin, killing the game off before half-time. Before that, the two sides met in the 2023 Nations League final. The match finished 0-0 after extra time before Spain won the penalty shootout 5-4 to claim their first Nations League title.

Including the 5-3 extra-time thriller at Euro 2020, Spain have won the last three meetings between the two sides.

Spain vs Croatia: Team News and Predictions

La Roja have a defensive selection issue heading into the match.

Eric García withdrew from the squad after suffering discomfort in his left knee. The Barcelona defender had been expected to start against England but was ruled out shortly before kickoff. The Spanish Football Federation subsequently confirmed that he would leave the squad, with Atlético Madrid defender Robin Le Normand called up as his replacement.

Spain Expected XI for Spain vs Croatia

Croatia can certainly cause an upset, and are expected to retain most of their experienced squad that started the opening fixture. La Liga’s Ante Budimir is always in contention, probably coming on as a substitute in the second half.

Croatia Expected XI for Spain vs Croatia

Prediction: Spain 3 – 1 Croatia