Kane penalty secures England’s Nations League quarterfinal spot

England defeated Croatia 2-1 at Wembley Stadium on Thursday, November 12, 2026, to secure their qualification for the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals. The match, which served as the fifth matchday of Group A3 in League A, saw captain Harry Kane score the winning goal from a penalty in the 64th minute.

Kane, who was presented with his Ballon d'Or trophy by the crowd before the match, recorded his 92nd international goal and earned his record 126th cap for the Three Lions. The penalty was won by Jarrel Quansah, who had previously missed a header that allowed Petar Susic to equalize for Croatia in the 59th minute. Morgan Rogers had opened the scoring for England in the 24th minute.

With four victories in five matches, England is assured of finishing at least in second place in Group A3, which guarantees a spot in the quarterfinals scheduled for March. The team, managed by Thomas Tuchel, will now attempt to claim the top position in the group by facing Spain in Madrid on Sunday. Spain are the reigning world and European champions, while England are the European vice-champions.

Croatia, managed by Slaven Bilic, entered the match without Luka Modric in the starting lineup, as confirmed by the coach. The final score of 2-1 concluded a competitive encounter at Wembley, where Jordan Pickford remained largely uninvolved in the second half as Croatia failed to find an equalizer despite added time.