On a record-breaking night in Zagreb, England made more history by starting a qualifying campaign with two away wins for the first time.

England have previously had to qualify for 24 tournaments - 13 World Cups and 11 European Championships.

This how we started the qualifiers for those World Cups:-

2006: Drew 2-2 away (Austria), won 2-1 away (Poland)
2002: Lost 0-1 at home (Germany), drew 0-0 away (Finland)
1998: Won 3-0 away (Moldova), won 2-1 at home (Poland)
1994: Drew 1-1 at home (Norway), won 4-0 at home (Turkey)
1990: Drew 0-0 at home (Sweden), won 2-0 away (Albania)
1986: Won 5-0 at home (Finland), won 8-0 away (Turkey)
1982: Won 4-0 at home (Norway), lost 1-2 away (Romania)
1978: Won 4-1 away (Finland), won 2-1 at home (Finland)
1974: Won 1-0 away (Wales), drew 1-1 at home (Wales)
1962: Won 9-0 away (Luxembourg), drew 1-1 away (Portugal)
1958: Won 5-1 away (Denmark), won 5-2 at home (Denmark)
1954: Won 4-1 away (Wales), won 3-1 at home (N Ireland)
1950: Won 4-1 away (Wales), won 9-2 at home (N Ireland)

England didn't have to qualify in 1966 (hosts) and 1970 (holders).

Our European Championship qualifiers started like this:-

2008: Won 5-0 at home (Andorra), won 1-0 away (Macedonia)
2004: Won 2-1 away (Slovakia), drew 2-2 at home (Macedonia)
2000: Lost 1-2 away (Sweden), drew 0-0 at home (Bulgaria)
1992: Won 2-0 at home (Poland), drew 1-1 away (Rep of Ireland)
1988: Won 3-0 at home (N Ireland), won 2-0 at home (Yugoslavia)
1984: Drew 2-2 away (Denmark), won 3-0 away (Greece)
1980: Won 4-3 away (Denmark), drew 1-1 away (Rep of Ireland)
1976: Won 3-0 at home (Czechoslovakia), drew 0-0 at home (Portugal)
1972: Won 1-0 away (Malta), won 3-0 at home (Greece)
1968: Won 2-0 away (N Ireland), won 5-1 at home (Wales)
1964: Drew 1-1 at home (France), lost 2-5 away (France) - "First Round"

England v Slovakia
International Friendly
Saturday 28 March 2009
Wembley Stadium

England v Slovenia
International Friendly
Saturday 5 September 2009
Wembley Stadium

The FA has today confirmed two England friendly fixtures at Wembley for 2009. England will play Slovakia on Saturday 28 March and host Slovenia later in the year on Saturday 5 September. The Slovakia fixture precedes England's World Cup 2010 Qualifier at Wembley against Ukraine on Wednesday 1 April. The Slovenia match comes before England's home game against Croatia on Wednesday 9 September.

Kick-off times for both matches will be confirmed in due course.

England manager Fabio Capello was involved in choosing both friendly opponents and said: "It's very important to play similar style opposition as practice for the competitive matches. The Slovakia and Slovenia games will be very good preparation for the vital World Cup Qualifiers against Ukraine and Croatia."

Slovakia and Slovenia are in Group 3 of the European World Cup Qualifying Region. After two games, Slovenia are joint leaders [with Poland] on four points whilst Slovakia are just one point behind. The two countries met last Wednesday in Maribor and Slovenia won the match 2-1.

Wayne Rooney hailed England's dominant performance in Zagreb and believes that the Three Lions got exactly what they deserved from the game.

Theo Walcott lead the way with an incredible hat-trick, but Rooney also got on the scoresheet and set two of Walcott's goals up and the Manchester United forward says it was a team effort to achieve such a fantastic result.

Speaking exclusively to TheFA.com, Rooney said: "I think it was a great performance by the team tonight and we fully deserved the three points.

"I think all the players are really pleased with the result and more importantly the performance."

Prior to the game Croatia had not lost a competitive match at home in their history, and Rooney says that the first goal was crucial to giving the players belief they could be the first.

Rooney explained: "It was a really important goal you know, to go in 1-0 up at half-time gave us all a boost, and it really gave us the believe that we could go on and win the game.

"In the second half the sending off gave us more confidence to keep the ball and get some more goals, and we took full advantage of that.

"Most of the players in the squad have experienced similar atmospheres in the past, and we're all used to it now. I think we prepared ourselves as best we could; we just wanted to give a good performance and we managed to do that."

Rooney admitted that the entire squad was delighted for young Theo Walcott, who at just 19 scored a hat-trick in only his second start for England.

"The whole dressing room is really pleased for him," Rooney revealed. "He gave a really good performance tonight and all three finishes were fantastic.

"I think against Andorra he showed glimpses of what he could do and tonight in a difficult game he's proved what a good player he is."

Rooney was also pleased to score himself, but admitted that victory for the team has always been his main goal.

"It's always nice to score goals but as I've always said the most important thing is always the three points, and thankfully we got them."

Theo Walcott fully justified his inclusion in Fabio Capello's line-up after netting a stunning hat-trick as England downed 10-man Croatia 4-1 in their World Cup qualifier in Zagreb.

Wayne Rooney was also on the scoresheet - his first international goal in nearly a year - as England finally put in a performance worthy of the hype that so often goes before them.

Considering that, heading into the game, Croatia were unbeaten in competitive matches at home, such a convincing victory - off the back of an uninspiring 2-0 win over minnows Andorra at the weekend - was all the more impressive.

England's cause was slightly helped by the dismissal of Robert Kovac early in the second half - for a leading elbow on Joe Cole, who was forced off with blood gushing from a head wound - but with England already a goal to the good at the time, his departure did little to affect the result.

Substitute Mario Mandzukic netted on 78 minutes to pull Croatia back to 3-1, but it proved nothing more than consolation for the hosts as England maintained their perfect start to the qualifying campaign and took control of Group 6.

2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifier
Group Six
8pm, Wednesday 10 September 2008
Maksimir Stadium, Zagreb
Live on Setanta Sports 1

Setanta Sports have confirmed that highlights of the Croatia v England 2010 World Cup qualifier will be shown free-to-air on Setanta Sports 1 at 11.30pm this evening.

The free-to-air match highlights will be available to the 21m British homes that can receive digital televison via Freeview, BT Vision, Tiscali, or satellite.

2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifier
Group Six
8pm, Wednesday 10 September 2008
Maksimir Stadium, Zagreb
Live on Setanta Sports 1

90+3
The final whistle is sounded by the referee as England become the first team ever to win a competitive game in Croatia.

89' Matthew Upson replaces John Terry.

86' Walcott comes off to applause and his replaced by David Beckham.

82
GOAL! Walcott completes a memorable hat-trick, after a through ball from Heskey played him clear. He cut inside before sliding a left footer past Pletikosa.

78
GOAL! Croatia get one back through substitute Mandzukic, who slots past James well. But Srna was lucky to get away with a high foot on John Terry earlier in the move.
76
England confidence is showing and Lampard glides into the box, playing a quick one-two with Jenas before curling home. Referee Lubos Michel pulls play back for a foul though.

73' Ivica Olic makes way for Mario Mandzukic
63
GOAL! The Three Lions continue to turn the screw and find holes in the demoralised Croatian defence. Jenas breaks free on theleft and pulls back to Rooney 12 yards out. He does the rest and gives Pletikosa no chance.
59
GOAL! With Croatia down to ten men, England take charge and Walcott makes it 2-0 with an almost carbon-copy goal after being laid on by Heskey.

51' Joe Cole goes off after the clash with Kovac. Jermaine Jenas comes on.

51' Aerial challenge between Robert Kovac and Joe Cole which sees Cole come away with blood pouring from his head and Kovac a red card.
50
Another clinical foul by Simunic, this time on Rooney just outside the box. Lampard's powerful low free-kick is push away by Pletikosa

47' Darijo Srna booked for a foul on Ashley Cole.

England re-start the game with Capello making no changes at the break.
45+1
The referee brings the first half to an end, with England relatively comfortable in their lead.

45
Ivan Rakitic fires a free kick well over the bar from 25 yards out as the first half goes into added time.

39' Josip Simunic is cautioned for a block against Walcott's run forward..

37
Darijo Srna is penalised for a blatant push on Ashley Cole in the England half, as Croatia chase an equaliser.

26
GOAL! Theo Walcott scores the opening goal, after a burst forward by Rio Ferdinand sees a deflection into the youngster's path and he makes no mistake by firing a low shot into the far corner.

22
Emile Heskey claims for a penalty after appearing to be hauled down by Josip Simunic, but the referee waves away the appeals.

13
Vedran Corluko sees a shot of his hit the side-netting after England fail to clear a Croatia corner.

10
Emile Heskey forces a throw-in after a an attempted cross was blocked by the Croatian defence.

4
David James makes a good save from Danijel Pranjic, whose left footer from the edge of the box hits the target.

1
Croatia line up with one forward, in what is undoubtedly an intimidating atmosphere. After Croatia's early possession, England begin to keep possession.

Croatia kick the game off in Zagreb, after an emotional parade of the national anthems in the Maksimir Stadium.

England
1 David James, 2 Wes Brown, 3 Ashley Cole, 4 Gareth Barry, 5 Rio Ferdinand, 6 John Terry (14 Matthew Upson, 89), 7 Theo Walcott (17 David Beckham, 86) 8 Frank Lampard, 9 Emile Heskey, 10 Wayne Rooney, 11 Joe Cole (16 Jermaine Jenas, 51)

Substitutes 12 Paul Robinson, 13 Glen Johnson, 15 Stewart Downing, 18 Jermain Defoe

Manager
Fabio Capello

Croatia
1 Stipe Pletikosa, 3 Josip Simunic, 4 Robert Kovac, 5 Vedran Corluka, 6 Danijel Pranjic, 7 Ivan Rakitic, 9 Mladen Petric, 10 Niko Kovac (c), 11 Darijo Srna, 14 Luka Modric, 18 Ivica Olic (8 Mario Mandzukic, 73)

Substitutes
12 Vedran Runje, 2 Ivica Krizanac, 13 Nikola Pokrivac, 15 Dario Knezevic, 16 Jerko Leko, 17 Ivan Klasnic

Manager
Slaven Bilic

Match Officials
Referee Lubos Michel (Slovakia)
Assistant Referees Martin Balko and Roman Csabay (Slovakia)

Team colours
Croatia
Blue shirts, blue shorts, blue socks
England
White shirts, white shorts, white socks
GK: Sky blue shirt, navy blue shorts, sky blue socks

Following England's victory over Andorra on Saturday night, TheFA.com explains the situation regarding the TV coverage of The Three Lions' 2010 World Cup Qualifiers.

The rights for away qualification matches are not The FA's to sell.

This week's games belong to the Andorran and Croatian FAs, in the same way that England's home matches form part of our broadcast contract with ITV and Setanta.

In this particular case, the Andorran and Croatian FAs sold their away qualification matches to an agency ahead of the draw, who have then sold the English broadcast rights to Setanta. Any other broadcaster could have bid for those rights.

However, we can confirm that England fans will be able to watch all of the home qualifiers on ITV - due to the way we have sold our rights - along with our away friendlies including the match against Germany in November.

In addition, ITV also carries highlights for England home friendlies as part of the way The FA structured our broadcast contracts.