Modric Admits Shame Over Croatia’s ‘Catastrophic’ 7-0 Thrashing by England

Croatia captain Luka Modrić confessed he felt “ashamed” of his team’s display following Saturday’s staggering 7-0 Nations League defeat to England on home soil.

The 41-year-old midfielder, making his 205th international appearance, described the evening in Rijeka as a “catastrophic night”—the first time in two decades wearing the national shirt that he has experienced such emotion.

“You cannot play football like that; we looked as though we were four or five men short,” said the former Real Madrid star, who captained Croatia to World Cup finals in 2018 and a third-place finish in 2022. He recently agreed to extend his international career under returning manager Slaven Bilić.

“It is difficult to find an explanation for such a performance—no duels, no fouls, no aggression, no togetherness. I have been here for 20 years, but for the first time, I feel ashamed after a game.”

The match marked a brutal low point in Bilić’s second tenure. His reign had begun optimistically with a 2-1 victory in the Czech Republic that briefly placed Croatia atop Group A3, though a subsequent 4-1 loss in Spain foreshadowed vulnerability. Level on points with Thomas Tuchel’s England side before kickoff, Croatia had a golden opportunity to seize control of the quarter-final qualification race.

Instead, the contest unraveled rapidly. By the time Modrić departed in the 57th minute, the hosts were already trailing 5-0, undone by a Harry Kane brace and strikes from Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, and Bukayo Saka. The veteran playmaker was forced to watch helplessly from the bench as Saka added a second and Morgan Rogers completed the rout, sealing a historic humiliation for the Vatreni.

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