There are football results, and then there are statements. England's 7-0 dismantling of Croatia on Saturday night belongs firmly in the second category — though the circumstances surrounding it made the whole occasion feel about as strange as any international fixture in recent memory.

With a behind-closed-doors punishment hanging over Croatia following the previous misbehaviour of their supporters, the Croatian Football Federation opened the doors to local schoolchildren as a free-admission alternative. The result was a crowd of 6,403 young fans who, through no fault of their own, had a front-row seat for one of the most one-sided performances in their nation's recent history. The TV director hunting for the obligatory post-match shot of a tearful youngster was, reportedly, spoilt for choice.

Croatia simply had no answers

For Luka Modric, a man who has carried Croatian football on his shoulders for the better part of two decades, the evening was deeply painful. The veteran midfielder did not shy away from expressing just how badly his side had let themselves and their country down. He described the performance as catastrophic, admitted he felt ashamed for the first time in his long international career, and lamented a complete absence of the duels, aggression and togetherness that have defined Croatian football at its best. England, he suggested, had faced something closer to training equipment than a competitive international side.

It was a brutal assessment — but not an unfair one. England were relentless, clinical and utterly dominant from first to last, picking apart a Croatian defence that offered almost no resistance. The contrast with previous meetings between these two sides — most painfully that semi-final defeat at the 2018 World Cup, a wound that still hasn't fully healed for many England supporters — could not have been more stark.

Tuchel keeps one eye on the bigger picture

Thomas Tuchel, for his part, was measured in his response. He acknowledged that this kind of dominant victory is the way his England side must move forward, while also hinting that certain scars from recent tournaments run deeper than any single result can address. A 7-0 win over a clearly ageing and declining Croatia side, however emphatic, is not the same as winning when it matters most. England fans know that better than most, and Tuchel is wise enough not to oversell the moment.

There was, though, genuine cause for concern on the injury front. Alex Scott, the Bournemouth midfielder, aggravated a thigh problem that had been troubling him before the game and has since left the squad entirely. Tuchel insisted there had been no recklessness with the player's fitness — green lights all round, apparently, even in the hours before kick-off — but Scott is now expected to miss around two months of football. It is a blow that will frustrate supporters on the south coast and in the England camp alike.

Spain wait in the wings

The conversation quickly turns to what comes next. World champions Spain are England's upcoming Nations League opponents, and that fixture will offer a far sterner examination of where Tuchel's side genuinely stand. Beating Croatia by seven goals is an occasion to enjoy, but the market will barely have flinched at the prospect of England facing a Spanish side that remains the gold standard in international football.

For those Croatian youngsters in the stands on Saturday, robbed of an afternoon's school and handed a footballing trauma instead, one can only hope Tuesday's Spain fixture passes them by entirely. As for England — the result was everything they needed after recent heartbreak. Whether it means anything beyond that remains to be seen.

Frequently asked

What was the score in England vs Croatia in the Nations League?
England beat Croatia 7-0 in a Nations League fixture played on Saturday. The match was held behind closed doors to local schoolchildren due to a punishment imposed on Croatia following fan misbehaviour.
Why was Croatia's game played in front of children?
Croatia were sanctioned for previous supporter misconduct, resulting in a behind-closed-doors ruling. The Croatian Football Federation admitted local schoolchildren free of charge as an alternative, with 6,403 attending.
Is Alex Scott injured and will he miss more England games?
Yes. Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott aggravated a thigh injury during the Croatia match and has left the England squad. He is expected to be sidelined for approximately two months.