Croatia
vs
Spain
UEFA Nations League prediction
Our model says: Croatia 0–1 Spain
The model makes it 23% Croatia, 28% draw, 49% Spain — fair odds of 4.35, 3.57 and 2.04. Fair odds are simply 100 ÷ the probability; they are the model's own number, not a bookmaker's price.
Most likely scoreline: 0-1 (11%).
Expected goals: Croatia 0.90, Spain 1.82.
Both teams to score: 50%. Over 2.5 goals: 51%, under 2.5: 49%.
Model confidence: Medium.
Published · updated
Key facts
- Croatia are 3rd on 3 points from 2 games; Spain are top on 6 points from 2 games — UEFA Nations League, League A.
- Croatia have won 3 of their last 5, most recently a 1-4 defeat away to Spain.
- Spain are unbeaten in their last 5 (5 won), most recently a 4-1 win at home to Croatia.
- Last 6 meetings: Spain 4 wins to 1, 1 draw; the most recent, 29 September 2026, ended Spain 4–1 Croatia.
All Nations League predictions →
Live win probability
From kick-offThese update every few seconds once the match kicks off, as the model re-reads the score, the clock and any red cards. The second figure is fair odds — 100 ÷ probability, the price with no margin in it.
Model insights: Croatia vs Spain
Has the model earned this number?
It puts Spain at 49% here. Across 2,959 settled matches (as of 3 October 2026), 1,375 forecasts have landed in the 40–50% band; those outcomes actually happened 44.8% of the time, against an average forecast of 43.8%. In this range the two line up, so the figure above can be read literally.
Every settled prediction on this site is scored against an uninformed baseline, band by band, and published whether or not it flatters the model — see the full record.
Form going into Croatia vs Spain
Croatia
- L1-4away to Spain29 September 2026
- W2-1away to Czechia26 September 2026
Spain
- W4-1Croatia29 September 2026
- W3-2away to England26 September 2026
Up to 5 matches before kick-off, most recent first. The model rates each side on its goals over this season and last, adjusted for the opposition, rather than on these results alone, so read them as context — how the ratings are built.
UEFA Nations League table
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Croatia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | -2 | 3 |
| 1 | Spain | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 6 |
Where the two sides stand. Full table
Head-to-head: Croatia vs Spain
- 29 September 2026Spain 4–1 CroatiaUEFA Nations League
- 15 June 2024Spain 3–0 CroatiaEuro Championship
- 18 June 2023Croatia 0–0 SpainUEFA Nations League
- 28 June 2021Croatia 3–5 SpainEuro Championship
- 15 November 2018Croatia 3–2 SpainUEFA Nations League
- 11 September 2018Spain 6–0 CroatiaUEFA Nations League
Leading scorers: Croatia and Spain
Croatia
No player in UEFA Nations League's leading scorers — 3 league goals as a side.
Spain
- Lamine Yamal3 goals1 assist
- Álex Baena1 goal2 assists
Top 3 by league goals this season. Player availability is not part of the model — injuries and suspensions are a planned improvement.
The two sides
Croatia carry a model rating of 7.03 against 7.42 for Spain. The scale is anchored so that an average side in one of Europe's big five leagues sits at 6.85, and it is adjusted for the strength of each team's league, so the two numbers are comparable even across borders.
What the model expects
Under the hood the model expects 0.90 goals for Croatia and 1.82 for Spain. Those two numbers, not the scoreline, are what the model actually estimates; everything else is derived from them.
Croatia rate 1.21 in attack and 0.84 in defence, where 1 is league average and a lower defensive number is better; Spain rate 1.73 and 0.55.
How this was produced
Publicly tracked record so far: 1,381 correct results out of 2,964 settled predictions (47%), with 285 exact scorelines (10%). That log is updated automatically after every match and is never edited.
Full method: how the model works.
From the first whistle this page keeps going: the win probabilities at the top are recalculated as the match plays out, reading the score, the clock and any sendings-off. The same model, asked how many goals are left rather than how many there will be.
Team comparison
Bars show each side's share of the two-team total, based on the model's attack/defence ratings and expected goals for this fixture.
Why the model favours this side
The model gives Spain the highest probability at 49%, based on each side's rolling attack and defence ratings estimated from recent match data. The model projects 0.90 expected goals for Croatia against 1.82 for Spain. Croatia's attack/defence rating is 1.21/0.84 versus the league average (1.00 = average), compared with 1.73/0.55 for Spain.
Uncalibrated. National-team ratings are anchored on the FIFA World Ranking, because these groups never play each other and nothing inside the results can compare them. The constants behind that anchor are declared, not fitted — too few national-team matches have been settled to test them — so treat this prediction as the weakest kind we publish. How the model works.
Goal trends
Over 1.5 goals
Over 2.5 goals
Over 3.5 goals
Both teams score
Outer rings: how often each side's most recent internationals, friendlies included, before kick-off (up to 10 games; the count is under each ring) went over the line. Middle ring: the model's own probability for this match, from the same expected goals as the prediction above. Past matches are context; the middle ring is the estimate. Not betting advice.
The next 5 matches, by difficulty
Croatia
- at England12 Nov · UEFA Nations Leaguewin 25%
- vs Czechia15 Nov · UEFA Nations Leaguewin 50%
Spain
- at Czechia12 Nov · UEFA Nations Leaguewin 64%
- vs England15 Nov · UEFA Nations Leaguewin 42%
Each side's next matches on our board after this one. The colour is how strong the opponent is, from easier to harder as on the scale above: its model rating ranked among the teams of that competition, in fifths, so bright red is the top fifth whoever is playing it. The win figure is this side's own chance in that match, which is where venue and its own level come in. A match already on our board links to its own prediction; the rest follow as their week comes up.