'An eternal shame': Bilic and Croatia aim to use 7-0 humbling as fuel against England

Croatia face England at Wembley on Thursday in the Nations League, seeking redemption after a 7-0 home defeat last month that left captain Modric saying he felt ashamed for the first time in 20 years.

Croatia prepare for a Nations League rematch against England at Wembley on Thursday, just over a month after suffering a humiliating 7-0 defeat at home in Rijeka. The loss left deep wounds in Croatian football, with captain Luka Modric saying he felt ashamed for the first time in his 20-year career, and manager Slaven Bilic describing it as "an eternal shame".

Bilic told his players after the Rijeka game that this was not a match to forget quickly, but one to remember for life as motivation never to repeat such a performance. Croatia showed some response with a competitive display against Spain three days later, losing narrowly 1-0 after Ivan Perisic was sent off, but England present a different challenge entirely.

The pace and physicality of England's attacking play poses a clear mismatch for a Croatian team built around 41-year-old playmaker Modric, lacking a true defensive midfielder or top wingers.

Bilic faces the task of slowing England down, limiting their attacking capacity and reducing the game to isolated incidents. The players will need to show significantly more grit and intensity than they did in Rijeka, with the public back home wanting to see a hard-fought, committed performance above all else.