Spain host Croatia on Tuesday, September 28, at Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium in Seville in a UEFA Nations League Group A3 match that brings together two teams who both opened with wins. Kickoff is set for 8:45pm ET, or 18:45 GMT.
The main individual storyline is clear: Lamine Yamal, now 19, against Luka Modric, Croatia’s 41-year-old captain. Spain’s winger has become one of the faces of the team, while Modric remains the reference point for Croatia and a player who still draws attention every time he steps on the field.
Spain arrive with momentum
Spain won their first match in the competition with a 3-2 comeback over England in London. That result added to the sense that La Roja continue to be one of Europe’s most reliable tournament sides, especially after winning the UEFA Nations League in 2023 and later reaching the final from the previous year. They also entered this match as world champions.
Coach Luis de la Fuente has praised the group’s standards, saying this generation is constantly trying to improve and that the statistics speak for themselves. He also stressed that Spain will approach the Croatia match as if it were their last, which fits the tone of a team that expects to compete at the top of every tournament it enters.
Croatia bring their own confidence
Croatia also began with a win, beating Czechia 2-1 in Prague. That gives this matchday-two meeting a little more weight, since both sides arrive with three points and early control of Group A3 within reach.
For Croatia, much of the attention again falls on Modric. Former Croatia coach Slaven Bilic said there is reason to be proud to live in Modric’s era, calling him incredible at his age and saying he is the only one who can do what he is doing. That kind of praise reflects the standing Modric still carries, even in a squad that continues to evolve.
Recent history adds another layer
These teams also know each other well. At UEFA Euro 2024, Spain beat Croatia 3-0 in a group game, a result that still shapes how this matchup is viewed. Spain’s blend of control and young attacking talent has often made them difficult to contain, while Croatia remain capable of making games more competitive than expected.
The Nations League itself was created in 2018 to reduce meaningless friendlies and replace them with competitive matches against top-ranked nations. With its league format, promotion and relegation, every result matters a little more. That is especially true here, where Spain and Croatia meet early in the campaign with both teams already showing they can handle pressure.
For Spain, the focus will be on whether Yamal can keep turning promise into match-winning impact. For Croatia, Modric remains the center of the conversation, even as the challenge is to keep pace with a Spanish side that has been winning in different ways for several years. In Seville, the matchup is bigger than one individual duel, but that duel gives the night its headline appeal.
