Luka Modric Feels Ashamed for the First Time in 20-Year International Career After Croatia's 7-0 Defeat

Luka Modric has been at the heart of Croatia's greatest football achievements. From reaching the 2018 World Cup final to finishing third in 2022, the veteran midfielder has played a central role in the country's rise on the international stage.

But after Croatia's humiliating 7-0 defeat to England in the Nations League, Modric experienced something he had never felt before in his 20-year international career.

“I have been with the national team for 20 years. This is the first time I feel ashamed after a match,” Modric said after the defeat.

“We can lose matches, or we can face a better opponent—and England are really good now. But whatever the circumstances, losing like this and damaging the reputation we have built over the years is unacceptable.”

The heavy defeat came just days after Croatia had also suffered a 4-1 loss to Spain. Consecutive defeats by such wide margins have increased the pressure on the team and its coaching staff.

Coach Slaven Bilic admitted that it was difficult to find anything positive to say after such a performance.

“It is difficult to say anything reasonable or positive after a match like this. We are disappointed, I am disappointed, and we are all sad. I feel sorry for the players on the pitch, the supporters, ourselves and the footballers,” Bilic said.

The coach refused to blame one particular area for the collapse, describing the performance as a collective failure.

“It was simply a collective blackout. There is no single reason that explains why this happened. There have certainly been problems since I took charge this summer, and I take responsibility for those. But it would be wrong to say everything else was fine and one particular issue caused this result.”

Croatia's golden generation has gradually moved on, with several of the players who helped the country reach the 2018 World Cup final and third place in 2022 no longer part of the squad.

The team also exited the latest World Cup in the last 32, but conceding seven goals at home against England represented an especially painful setback.

The 41-year-old Modric started the match but was substituted around 10 minutes into the second half. From the sidelines, he watched as Croatia continued to concede goals against an increasingly dominant England side.

After the final whistle, Modric spoke with his teammates and acknowledged the pain of the defeat while urging the squad to accept what happened and move forward.

“I have just spoken to the players. Believe me, nobody is hurting more than us. What happened has happened, and we have to accept it.”

For Modric, however, the 7-0 defeat was more than just another loss. It marked a deeply painful moment in a 20-year international career that had rarely seen Croatia suffer such a devastating night.