UEFA Nations League Matchday 3 preview: Players to watch, storylines to follow
Friday, October 2, 2026
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Anthony Gordon, Lamine Yamal and Zeki Amdouni: The key players and storylines to follow on UEFA Nations League Matchday 3.
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Croatia look to bounce back against England and Spain aim to extend their perfect start against Czechia as Matchday 3 concludes on Saturday 3 October.
We preview the action.
What to look out for in League A
Remaining League A fixtures
Saturday 3 October
A3 Croatia vs England (18:00)
A3 Spain vs Czechia
All times CET; 20:45 kick-off unless stated.
Croatia vs England
Harry Kane and Anthony Gordon have scored in both of England's games so far, and will look to keep the goals flowing in Rijeka. "It was good; quite dominant," said Gordon of his side's 2-0 win against ten-man Czechia on Tuesday. Croatia won 2-1 in Czechia on Matchday 1, but a 4-1 defeat in Spain has left them level on three points with Thomas Tuchel's side.
England beat Croatia 4-2 at this summer's World Cup, and 1-0 at UEFA EURO 2020, but members of both sides will remember well the semi-final of the 2018 World Cup, when Croatia beat England 2-1 to book their first-ever final place. The sides drew 0-0 in a Nations League game in Rijeka later that year, the venue for this encounter.
Spain vs Czechia
Lamine Yamal was the star of the show as Spain beat Croatia 4-1 on Tuesday, and Nico Williams (who hit Spain's fourth) said "when Lamine smiles, he plays better", adding: "He's a special player." Czechia lost their first two games but will look to become the first side to deny Yamal a goal in Group A3.
Czechia twice took the lead the last time these sides met in Prague, in a 2022 Nations League qualifier, and it took a late Iñigo Martínez finish to earn Spain a 2-2 draw. That result means that La Roja come into this game unbeaten in seven meetings with their opponents (W5 D2).
What to look out for in League B
Remaining League B fixtures
Saturday 3 October
B1 North Macedonia vs Scotland
B1 Switzerland vs Slovenia
All 20:45 CET kick-offs.
Storylines and players to watch
- Zeki Amdouni scored his third in two games as Switzerland won 3-0 in Scotland on Tuesday, and Slovenia will need to keep him under close observation if they are to maintain their unbeaten start in Group B1.
What to look out for in League C
Remaining League C fixtures
Saturday 3 October
C1 Finland vs Albania (15:00)
C1 Belarus vs San Marino (18:00)
C4 Estonia vs Luxembourg (18:00)
C4 Iceland vs Bulgaria (18:00)
All times CET; 20:45 kick-off unless stated.
- Albania have made a six-point start in Group C1 but will face their sternest test yet against Finland in Helsinki; neither side have conceded in the campaign.
- Andri Gudjohnsen (son of Chelsea great Eidur) may be the danger man in Group C4; he struck in both his side's games and will be hoping for more as Iceland host Bulgaria.
