Luka Modric said he felt “ashamed” after Croatia’s reputation was damaged by a 7-0 Nations League defeat by England in Rijeka.
The two sides have produced closely fought matches throughout the past decade, but England’s emphatic victory was a stark contrast to those contests.
Modric, 41, delivered a bleak assessment of Croatia’s display, saying the team had surrendered the standing it had built over many years.
“It is difficult to find an explanation for a performance like that, with no duels, fouls, aggression or cohesion,” he said. “I have been here for 20 years, but it is the first time I have felt ashamed after a match.
“You can lose, someone can be stronger, at the moment they are stronger, but losing in this way and throwing away the reputation we have built up over all these years is unacceptable. I really do feel ashamed.”
Croatia manager Slaven Bilic also struggled to explain the scale of the defeat and apologised to the supporters, including the children who attended the match.
“It is difficult to say anything after a night like this. We are sad, disappointed, and I feel sorry for the fans and the children who were at the game,” Bilic said, as cited by Jutarnji.
“We talked, it is hardest for us, and we did not expect this could happen. I don’t know what to call it, whether it’s a blackout, but it’s hard to analyse a game when you lose 7-0.
“We knew they were a top team, but that we couldn’t match them in any part… that then attacks your confidence, your will, everything falls apart and goes the wrong way.”
Bilic said the result was so damaging that he did not believe England would currently beat Estonia by the same margin.
“I said this to myself and to everyone, I don’t believe that England would beat Estonia 7-0 at this moment. That is unforgivable for us,” he said.
Croatia’s next opportunity to respond will come against Spain, and Bilic called for his players to show unity and character.
“We can get out of this with a good performance against Spain, there is time for that. Now is the right time to show unity and character,” he said.
“I’m talking nonsense saying we will beat Spain, but we need to show a brave and good Croatia. We need to show heart.”
Croatia had filled their small stadium with thousands of schoolchildren because the match was due to be played behind closed doors. Those supporters instead watched England produce a commanding performance.
Jude Bellingham was central to the victory, scoring once and providing three assists. Harry Kane scored twice, while Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers were also on target.
Bilic accepted responsibility and said the performance would be examined further.
“There is no reason for this. We train well, the atmosphere is excellent, hardworking, and every detail is taken care of. I have nothing smart to say, it is clear that the responsibility is mine. We will analyse the match further.”
