Ballon d'Or rivals Yamal and Kane star for Spain and England in Nations League wins

Ballon d’Or rivals Lamine Yamal and Harry Kane starred as Spain and England won their matches in the Nations League on Saturday.

Both are in contention to win the prestigious award on Oct. 26.

Kane scored twice as England crushed Croatia 7-0 away and Yamal scored another brilliant curling shot from outside the penalty area as Spain won at home to Czechia 3-1 for a 40th game unbeaten.

The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri and substitute Mikel Merino also scored as Spain recorded a third straight win to stay three points ahead of England in their Nations League A group.

With his brace of goals, Kane extended his national record to 89 international goals — 36 more than Wayne Rooney in second place on England's list of scorers.

Right winger Bukayo Saka also netted twice, while left winger Anthony Gordon set up Jude Bellingham's goal and grabbed one himself. Substitute Morgan Rogers completed the rout in Rijeka.

“We were so fluid right from the start. It just never stopped," England coach Thomas Tuchel said. “We just kept the pace up and played through the gaps. We were very, very clinical.”

Kane put England ahead in the eighth minute, controlling a pass from Bellingham with the outside of his right foot and then curling the ball into the top left corner.

Bellingham poked in Gordon's cross midway through the first half. Gordon stooped to head in Jarell Quansah's right-wing cross and Saka side-footed in England's fourth approaching halftime.

After the break, Croatia's defense was sliced open again on a quick break and Elliot Anderson curled in a cross from the right and Kane slid in at the back post for a poacher's finish.

“We’re at our best when we’re free, when we’re physically just overpowering,” Kane said. “They couldn’t live with our pace, our movement, our runs.”

More bad defending saw Croatia unable to clear the ball and it ended up at the feet of Kane, who gifted Saka his second in the 68th. Rogers controlled Bellingham’s pass with his heel and slotted in from an angle.

The result eclipsed England’s previous highest score against Croatia, 5-1 in World Cup qualifying in 2009 at Wembley.

It was another tough match for Croatia coach Slaven Bilić following Tuesday's 4-1 loss in Spain. His side has conceded 12 goals in three matches.

Luka Modric started the game in Rijeka but the 41-year-old looked frustrated by his team's sloppy performance.

Switzerland won at home to Slovenia 2-1 for a third straight win and group rival Scotland won at North Macedonia 2-0 for its first victory in their League B games.

Sassuolo forward Kieron Bowie put Scotland ahead in Skopje and Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn’s second-half penalty wrapped it up.

Slovenia led early on through Žan Vipotnik but Erik Janža’s own goal tied it soon after for Switzerland, which then scored through midfielder Dan Ndoye before halftime.

In Group C, Finland beat Albania 2-1 thanks to two goals from Los Angeles FC midfielder Leo Walta. The visitor took an early lead but goalkeeper Etrit Berisha was sent off in the 22nd.

Elsewhere, Real Sociedad forward Orri Óskarsson netted twice in Iceland's 3-0 home win against Bulgaria.

Belarus beat San Marino 4-0 and Estonia won against Luxembourg 1-0.

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Spain's Rodri celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Spain and Czechia in Oviedo, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

England's Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane react after Saka scored his side's sixth goal during the Nations League soccer match between Croatia and England in Rijeka, Croatia, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Spain's Lamine Yamal shoots to score his sides first goal during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Spain and Czechia in Oviedo, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

England's Harry Kane, left, and Jude Bellingham react after sixth goal during the Nations League soccer match between Croatia and England in Rijeka, Croatia, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

England's Anthony Gordon scores third goal during the Nations League soccer match between Croatia and England in Rijeka, Croatia, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

England's Bukayo Saka, center, scores during the Nations League soccer match between Croatia and England in Rijeka, Croatia, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

England's Harry Kane, left, and Marc Guehi reacts after the fifth goal during the Nations League soccer match between Croatia and England in Rijeka, Croatia, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Notre Dame abruptly found itself playing in a tight game at North Carolina with the pouring rain limiting coach Marcus Freeman’s comfort throwing the ball.

So the third-ranked Fighting Irish made it simple: get a hard push from the offensive line, open lanes and pound the ball through those gaps again and again.

It added up to regaining control after halftime in Saturday’s 37-26 road win, along with offering a promising leap for a rushing attack that looks very different from the one from last year that produced two first-round NFL draft picks.

“When they know you’re going to try to run the ball — and you’re still able to run the ball — because of the weather conditions, that’s a reflection of your team, and the toughness and the physicality,” Freeman said.

CJ Carr threw for four touchdowns and ran for another for the Fighting Irish (5-0), who ran for a season-best 241 yards.

The Irish were on the verge of going up 28-7 before the Tar Heels (2-2) came up with a goal-line stand and turned it into a long touchdown drive right before halftime. Then UNC came out of the break with Jaden Jefferson sprinting through the rain for a 98-yard kickoff return that brought the Tar Heels to within 21-20.

That's when Carr and the Irish offense went to work with a series of methodical and physical drives, leaning on the run in wet conditions to carry the ball right into the heart of the defensive front and consistently move the chains.

“Super impressive with the way the offensive line kind of just drove the ball down the field,” Carr said. “They couldn’t really stop us. It felt like we were imposing our will on them whenever we wanted to.”

Notre Dame responded to Jefferson’s big play with a 17-play, 75-yard drive lasting more than nine minutes by the time Carr got around the right side for a fourth-down TD keeper.

Then, after forcing a three-and-out, Notre Dame went to work again in pummeling fashion. Nolan James Jr. did most of the work on the ground, then caught Carr’s short pass in the left flat and juked a would-be tackler off his feet to go in for a 6-yard TD and a 34-20 lead to open the fourth quarter.

Carr threw for 234 yards, with Jordan Faison making eight catches for 132 yards and two scores.

Billy Edwards Jr. threw for three touchdowns for the Tar Heels but was picked off twice. North Carolina also struggled to get anything going on the ground (77 yards on 23 carries).

“We were certainly competitive, we missed some opportunities,” coach Bill Belichick said. “We just need to do a better job of coaching and playing, take advantage of those opportunities. They’re a good team; it’s not like anything was easy today."

Notre Dame: The defense had its hiccups in the Fighting Irish's 15th straight win. The Irish entered Saturday ranked No. 1 nationally by surrendering 199.3 yards per game and second in scoring (8.3), yet the Tar Heels came within seven points of matching the total the Irish had allowed through four games.

“Our guys didn't play crisp in the pass game and their guys made some plays, so we've got to go back and get that fixed," Freeman said.

UNC: The Tar Heels started 2-0 before blowing a two-touchdown lead in a loss at Clemson on Sept. 19, then had an open week to prepare for this one. Finding ways to generate more downfield passing gains was a focus, and Edwards found more success. The primary targets were wideout Jordan Shipp (seven catches for 109 yards) and Jelani Thurman (five catches for 50 yards and two TDs) as the Tar Heels flirted with a marquee win in Belichick's second season.

“The passing game’s really about team execution,” Belichick said. “It's not just the quarterback.”

Notre Dame entered ranked 98th in the Bowl Subdivision in rushing offense at 141.8 yards. That was down from 17th last year (203.4) behind the nation's fifth-leading rusher in Jeremiyah Love (114.3) and Jadarian Price, the two eventual first-round picks.

But on Saturday, freshman Jonaz Walton posted a team-high 120 yards while James added 65. The Irish’s rushing output included 122 yards in the third quarter alone in stymieing UNC’s momentum.

“We were doing some gap-scheme runs and to get movement at the point of attack was huge,” Freeman said. “The backs were patient and trusted it. We were really in rhythm that third quarter of just sustaining that drive and being able to run the ball when they knew we were running the ball.”

Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish host Stanford next Saturday.

UNC: The Tar Heels visit Pittsburgh next Saturday, the first of back-to-back road games against teams that are a combined 9-0.

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North Carolina quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. (9) throws a touchdown pass to tight end Shamar Easter (84) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Notre Dame, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman discusses a call with an official during the first half of an NCAA college football game against North Carolina, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)

Notre Dame linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, right, runs back an interception against North Carolina running back Jaylen McGill, left, during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)

Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr, right, looks to pass against North Carolina behind the block of offensive lineman Sullivan Absher (75) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)