Luka Modric expressed that Croatia’s unprecedented 7-0 loss to England in the Nations League left him feeling “ashamed” for the first time in his distinguished international career.
This marked Croatia’s largest defeat ever, occurring in Rijeka in front of mostly schoolchildren, due to UEFA restrictions on the home crowd.
Before halftime, Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, and Bukayo Saka all scored, making it a notable match where four different England players found the net in the first half for the first time since March 2013 against San Marino.
Kane and Saka later added another goal each, as Thomas Tuchel’s team maintained their dominance after the break, with Morgan Rogers scoring England’s seventh from the bench.
Prior to this, Croatia had never lost a home match by more than three goals, with their worst defeat being a 6-0 loss in Spain back in 2018.
Moreover, the scoreline was reflective of the game’s flow, with England achieving an impressive expected goals (xG) total of 6.43 compared to Croatia’s 1.39, the highest xG recorded in a Nations League match, surpassing Belarus’ 4.89 from 2018.
Modric did not hold back when discussing Croatia’s performance after the match, stating, “You can’t play football like that. We seemed to be missing four or five players.”
“It’s tough to explain this kind of performance; we lacked aggression, commitment, and teamwork,” he noted. “After 20 years in the game, I feel ashamed for the first time.”
“It’s fine to lose against a stronger opponent, but this defeat tarnishes the reputation we’ve built over time. I feel embarrassed.”
7-0 – England have recorded their biggest margin of victory against a nation ranked in the top 50 of the FIFA World Rankings (since 1992).
Goliath. pic.twitter.com/9ip8jDzozr
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 3, 2026
Looking ahead, Croatia faces Spain in their final match during this international break. A loss would severely hamper their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals.
“We must come together and remain united because another tough challenge is ahead,” Modric stated. “We need to demonstrate our true potential: fighting spirit, pride, and unity. That doesn’t just disappear overnight.”
Head coach Slaven Bilic also struggled to articulate Croatia’s lack of organization. “It’s hard to sum up a night like this. We feel sad and disappointed, especially for the fans and the children in attendance,” he lamented.
“We didn’t expect anything like this to happen. It’s tough to analyze a match after losing 7-0. We knew they were a top team, but we couldn’t match them at all. That erodes our confidence and breaks down everything.”
Editorial Opinion: This devastating loss highlights the competitive disparities in international soccer and raises questions about Croatia’s future strategies. For fans, it serves as a wake-up call regarding the fragility of sporting prestige, reinforcing the critical need for consistency and resilience in top-level competition.
Source: www.soccernews.com
