Do You Know? Spain and Croatia have met 11 times, with Spain winning six, Croatia three and two matches ending in draws, according to Al Jazeera World.
Spain face Croatia in Seville
Spain will host Croatia on Tuesday, September 28, in matchday two of the 2026–27 UEFA Nations League. The Group A3 match is scheduled for 8:45pm local time, or 18:45 GMT, at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium in Seville.
The match brings together Spain’s 19-year-old forward Lamine Yamal and Croatia’s 41-year-old midfielder Luka Modric. Both teams began their campaigns with victories: Spain came from behind to beat England 3–2 in London, while Croatia defeated Czechia 2–1 in Prague.
Why the match matters
Spain are seeking a second Nations League title after their 2023 success. The team are also described by Al Jazeera as world champions and are on a 39-game winning streak, a record for a European team.
Croatia will provide a difficult test, with Modric having scored in the team’s opening victory. Spain and Croatia last met at Euro 2024, when Spain won 3–0 through goals from Alvaro Morata, Fabian Ruiz and Dani Carvajal.
Players to watch
Spain
Yamal scored against England after two minutes and was described as producing a man-of-the-match-level performance. The Barcelona winger has seven goals this season, a total rated joint-second-highest in La Liga in the source report. Dani Olmo also contributed an assist in Spain’s latest victory.
Croatia
Modric remains central to Croatia’s midfield and scored the opener in the team’s first win under coach Slaven Bilic, according to the report. Ivan Perisic set up the winning goal in that match and has two goals and an assist for PSV Eindhoven this season.
Team news
| Team | Reported absences |
|---|---|
| Spain | Goalkeeper Joan Garcia is sidelined until early October with a knee injury. Eric Garcia withdrew from the squad after experiencing knee discomfort during the warm-up for the previous match and was replaced by Robin Le Normand. |
| Croatia | Martin Baturina and Josip Juranovic are out with illness, while centre-back Martin Erlic is injured. |
What happens next
The match is the second group-stage fixture for both sides. Al Jazeera Sport said it would provide build-up and live updates from 15:45 GMT.
Bottom Line
Spain enter the meeting with a strong recent record and an opening win, while Croatia arrive after a victory of their own and with Modric leading an experienced midfield. The contest in Seville will test whether Spain can extend their winning run against a balanced Croatian side.
Source
This report is based on information published by Al Jazeera World.
