Croatia captain Luka Modric hit out at his team’s performance in their record 7-0 loss to England in Rijeka on Saturday, saying that for the first time in his legendary national team career, he felt “ashamed.”
Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka each scored twice for the visitors, with Anthony Gordon, Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers completing the rout in the UEFA Nations League clash.
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It was the largest margin of defeat for Croatia since it became an independent nation in 1991.
Modric started the game but the 41-year-old looked frustrated by his team’s sloppy performance.
“I’ve been with the national team for 20 years, and this is the first time I’ve felt ashamed after a match,” the AC Milan midfielder told reporters.
“You can lose, or play against an opponent who is better — and they are right now. But in any case, losing like this and squandering the reputation we’ve built over the years is unacceptable. I feel ashamed.”
The result was a far cry from Croatia’s win over England in the 2018 World Cup semifinals en route to finishing runners-up.
Modric’s performances in the tournament propelled him to win that year’s Ballon d’Or and he followed that up by helping Croatia finish third in Qatar four years later.
The rout by England was another tough match for Croatia coach Slaven Bilic following Tuesday’s 4-1 loss in Spain. His side has conceded 12 goals in three matches.
“Since taking over this summer, there have been issues — there certainly have. But the responsibility is mine … Trying to pinpoint specific causes — saying ‘it happened because of this while everything else was’ … no. It was simply a collective blackout.”
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.
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.
“It’s hard to say anything sensible or positive after a match like this,” Bilic added. “I think we’re disappointed — I’m disappointed, and we’re all sorry. I feel for the kids who were there … I feel for the fans, for us, for the players.
“Believe me, I just spoke with the players, believe me, no one is taking this harder than we are. It is what it is; it has to be accepted.”
Things are unlikely to get any easier for Croatia when they host world champions Spain on Tuesday in their final match of the international window.
“We need to come together and stay united because another difficult game awaits us,” Modric added. “We have to show our true selves — that we have fight and pride, desire, willpower and unity. You can’t lose that overnight.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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