Croatia captain Luka Modric stated he felt “ashamed” of his facet’s efficiency in Saturday’s 7-0 defeat at dwelling to England within the Nations League.
It was the primary time in 20 years as a world that the AC Milan midfielder stated he had felt such emotion, describing it as a “catastrophic evening”.
Modric, 41, was making his 205th look for his nation after just lately agreeing to increase his worldwide profession below returning supervisor Slaven Bilic.
“You possibly can’t play soccer like that… we seemed like we had 4 or 5 gamers much less,” stated the previous Actual Madrid participant, who helped Croatia to second-place and third-place finishes on the 2018 and 2022 World Cups throughout a storied profession.
“It’s troublesome to seek out an evidence for such a efficiency with out duels, fouls, aggressiveness, togetherness.
“I have been right here for 20 years, however for the primary time I really feel ashamed after a recreation.”
Croatia kicked off Bilic’s second spell in cost with a 2-1 Nations League win away to the Czech Republic that put them above England in Group A3.
They adopted that up with a chastening 4-1 defeat away to world champions Spain however have been nonetheless stage on factors with Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions earlier than Saturday’s humiliating loss in Rijeka.
With the highest two qualifying for the latter levels, Croatia had the prospect to place themselves in pole place to beat England to a spot within the quarter-finals.
But by the point Modric was substituted within the 57th minute, the house facet have been already 5-0 down after conceding two objectives from Harry Kane and one apiece from Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka.
Modric was compelled to look at from the sidelines as additional objectives from Saka and Morgan Rogers prolonged England’s benefit earlier than the ultimate whistle.
