Luka Modric Confronts Record Defeat After Croatia Falls to England
“I am here for twenty years, and for the first time I am ashamed after a match,” Modric said, as reported by gazzetta.it. Croatia captain Luka Modric spoke of profound public embarrassment after his national team suffered the heaviest defeat in its history, losing 7-0 to England in a UEFA Nations League fixture in Rijeka, gazzetta.it reported. The match left the veteran midfielder confronting a historic low point on the international stage following a night where the home side conceded four goals before halftime.
Speaking to reporters after the final whistle, Modric described the performance in stark terms. “I am here for twenty years, and for the first time I am ashamed after a match,” Modric said, as reported by gazzetta.it. He added that the team appeared to be playing with four or five fewer men on the pitch, noting that the players ruined the reputation they built over years of international competition. Modric told reporters it was difficult to explain a performance lacking aggression, team spirit, and fouls, adding that losing in such a manner was “inacceptable,” according to gazzetta.it.
Match Details and Historic Margins in Rijeka
The fixture at the coastal stadium in Rijeka was played in front of six thousand invited youngsters and around one hundred away supporters after disciplinary measures mandated an empty stadium, according to reporting by ANSA. England capitalized on the unusual atmosphere through braces from Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka, alongside goals from Anthony Gordon, Jude Bellingham, and substitute Morgan Rogers. Bellingham also contributed three assists during the dominant display.
The goals arrived at the 8th minute of the first half and 8th minute of the second for Kane, while Saka scored in the 45th minute of the first half and 23rd minute of the second, ANSA reported. Gordon scored a penalty in the 39th minute, Bellingham netted in the 21st minute, and Rogers scored in the 42nd minute of the second half after beating goalkeeper Dominik Livaković, according to ANSA and UEFA.com. The match was part of the third day of the Nations League, a competition used for European qualifying and world rankings, Il Post reported.
Il Post noted that the 7-0 scoreline surpasses Croatia’s previous worst defeat, which was a 6-0 loss to Spain in the Nations League in 2018. The lineup fielded by Croatia closely mirrored the squad that faced England earlier in the year during the World Cup group stage, a match that ended 4-2 in favor of England.
Club Context and Managing Playing Time at Milan
The heavy defeat adds to a difficult period for Modric that began at club level with Milan missing out on Champions League qualification at the end of the previous campaign, gazzetta.it reported. Following summer uncertainty regarding ownership and his own future, the midfielder signed on for another season in Serie A.
Modric traveled to the United States during the summer with many questions regarding the plans of owner Cardinale and his own future, gazzetta.it reported. This followed a World Cup exit in the round of 16. Under current Milan manager Rúben Amorim, Modric has transitioned from an undisputed starter to a player evaluated on a match-by-match basis depending on physical condition and opponent characteristics, according to gazzetta.it. Amorim noted that in matches heavily reliant on running, deploying the veteran becomes challenging within his tactical setup, meaning the player will be managed across competitions this term.
Amorim also noted that Modric has more ground to cover in a 3-4-2-1 system compared to the 3-5-2 used by Allegri, where he had two players supporting him, according to gazzetta.it. When asked about the player’s mood regarding this management, Amorim stated that Modric “understands very well.”
Next Steps for England and Croatia
England will conclude the international break facing the Czech Republic at Wembley next Tuesday as they seek a top-two finish in the group to reach the Nations League quarterfinals in March, ANSA reported.
Croatia has suffered seven goals in two losses to Spain and England after an initial win over the Czechs, ANSA reported. The team is scheduled to face Spain again next week.
Young Fans Fill Empty Stadium as England Secures Seven Goals
Why was the stadium largely empty during the match in Rijeka?
The fixture was ordered to be played behind closed doors due to disciplinary reasons, though the Croatian federation utilized a regulation allowing six thousand young fans and a small contingent of away supporters to attend, ANSA reported.
What were England’s goals and key contributions in the fixture?
Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka each scored two goals, while Anthony Gordon, Morgan Rogers, and Jude Bellingham added one each, with Bellingham also providing three assists during the 7-0 victory, according to ANSA and Il Post.
How does this result compare to Croatia’s past losses?
Il Post reported that the 7-0 defeat stands as the heaviest loss in the history of the Croatian national team, eclipsing a 6-0 reverse against Spain in the Nations League in 2018.
Keep reading