Spain go into the Split rematch with the recent rivalry tilt firmly in their favour. They beat Croatia 4-1 in Seville on Tuesday 29 September at Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, they are unbeaten in 40 matches, and the head-to-head now stands at seven Spanish wins in 12 games.
Spain's hold on the rivalry
The Seville result was the loudest marker yet. Spain were already in control before half-time, and the scoreline sat neatly alongside the run they have built around it. The rivalry has not become one-sided in a historic sense, but the recent meetings have leaned Spain's way often enough to change the feel of the tie.
Relevo also set the wider context by pointing out that Spain and Croatia have met in the last four European Championships and in the 2023 Nations League final, which was decided on penalties. That kind of regular contact explains why this match keeps coming back into focus, even when the balance of results shifts.
Yamal's role in Seville
Lamine Yamal was the clearest individual difference in the first meeting. He scored in the 2nd minute and again in the 63rd, and his 9.4 rating was the highest individual mark in the player data from the match.
Pedri also provided an assist, while Marc Pubill scored his first goal with the national team in the 31st minute. Croatia at least had a response through Dion Beljo, who equalised in the 28th minute after a cross from Ivan Perišić, but Spain kept the game under control after that.
The rematch in Split, at 20:45, closes the same international window and gives Croatia a chance to interrupt the pattern. Spain's recent run says they are the side carrying momentum into it, and the 4-1 in Seville is the clearest reference point before kickoff.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
