Harry Kane is now England’s most-capped men’s player. He made his 126th appearance against Croatia at Wembley on Thursday night, passing Peter Shilton’s long-standing mark of 125, and then scored the penalty that won the game 2-1 and sent England into the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals.
Harry Kane’s record night at Wembley: quick facts
- Result: England 2-1 Croatia, UEFA Nations League, League A Group 3, Wembley Stadium, Thursday 12 November 2026.
- Scorers: Morgan Rogers (24′), Petar Sucic for Croatia (59′), Harry Kane (penalty, just after the hour).
- Record: Kane’s 126th cap took him past Shilton’s 125, a mark that had stood since 1990.
- Goals: The penalty was Kane’s 92nd for England and his fifth in successive games, according to RTÉ.
- Player of the match: Kane.
How England beat Croatia
England took the lead in the 24th minute when Morgan Rogers scored from a Jude Bellingham assist, according to Sports Mole’s match report. That was Bellingham’s sixth assist for England in 2026, the most by an England player in a calendar year since Raheem Sterling in 2019.
Croatia levelled in the 59th minute. Petar Sucic scored after a poor header from Jarell Quansah, which gave Thomas Tuchel’s side a brief scare on a night built around celebration.
The decisive moment came within five minutes. Quansah won a penalty when Ivan Smolcic pulled his shirt in the box, and Smolcic was booked. Kane stepped up and converted. Different reports give the minute as 64 or 65, so it is safest to say it came just after the hour.
The match statistics were close. England had 54% of possession, Croatia had 46%. England had 15 shots to 13, though Croatia had five on target to England’s four, per Sports Mole. It was not a comfortable win, but it was enough.
What the Shilton record means
Shilton, the goalkeeper who played for England between 1970 and 1990, had held the all-time appearance record for more than three decades. Kane equalled it on 6 October in a 3-0 win over the Czech Republic, scoring twice at Wembley, then waited a month to pass it.
Before kick-off, beIN Sports reported, Shilton and Prince William took part in a ceremony to mark the achievement. Kane has said reaching 100 international goals is his next target. He is on 92, so he needs eight more.
The goals column is even more one-sided than the caps one. Wayne Rooney is second on England’s all-time scoring list with 53, meaning Kane is 39 clear of him.
For the full ranking of England’s most-capped players, including every centurion, read our guide to the most capped England players.
What the result means for England in the Nations League
The win secured a quarter-final place. England are second in Group 3, three points behind leaders Spain, with one game left.
That game is away to Spain on Sunday 15 November. England can still finish top, but they would need to win to draw level on points, and Sports Mole reports that the head-to-head record would then decide it. Spain won the earlier meeting 3-2.
Croatia, who finish against the Czech Republic, lost ground in the group.
Other Nations League results on the night
Elsewhere on Thursday, Italy beat France 3-1 at the San Siro. Michael Olise put France ahead in the 10th minute, but Pio Esposito scored twice and Davide Frattesi added the other for the Italians, according to RTÉ. Belgium beat Turkey 2-1, with Kevin De Bruyne equalising in the 27th minute and Charles De Ketelaere scoring the winner three minutes later after Arda Guler had given Turkey the lead.
What to watch on Sunday
Sunday’s trip to Spain decides who finishes top of the group. For Kane, the record is done and the focus returns to goals. For Quansah, the night brought a mistake for Croatia’s equaliser and the penalty that won the game.
For more on how England’s squad was picked, read our piece on Player News, and for more reports like this one, visit Match Reports.
Sources: RTÉ Sport (12 November 2026), Sports Mole match report and preview (12 November 2026), beIN Sports (12 November 2026), The Star/Reuters (7 October 2026).
