Seven goals. One hundred and forty-five minutes of international football across his 205-cap career — and Luka Modric says Saturday's Nations League demolition in Rijeka was the first time he has left the pitch feeling ashamed of his country's performance. That is some statement from a 41-year-old who helped Croatia finish second at the 2018 World Cup and third four years later in Qatar.

What went wrong for Croatia

England were simply relentless. Harry Kane scored twice, with Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, Bukayo Saka (two) and Morgan Rogers completing the rout. By the time Modric was substituted in the 57th minute, Croatia were already 5-0 down — a scoreline that tells you everything about the one-sidedness of the evening.

The AC Milan midfielder was brutally honest in his post-match assessment. "You can't play football like that," he said. "We looked like we had four or five players less." He pointed to a complete absence of the basics — no duels won, no aggression, no cohesion — and described it as a "catastrophic night" that risks undoing years of hard-earned reputation.

It is worth contextualising the wider group picture. Croatia had actually started Slaven Bilic's second stint as manager with a 2-1 win away to the Czech Republic, which briefly put them above England in Group A3. They then lost 4-1 to Spain but still arrived in Rijeka level on points with Thomas Tuchel's side, knowing a win would move them into pole position for a quarter-final place. Instead, they conceded seven at home and now sit third in the table.

The Nations League picture

Only the top two sides in Group A3 advance to the quarter-finals, which means Croatia's situation is now precarious. Their remaining fixtures are anything but straightforward: Spain visit Split on Tuesday, before trips away to England on 12 November and a final home game against the Czech Republic on 15 November. Three fixtures, all with significant pressure attached.

Modric was careful to acknowledge England's quality — "you can lose, or play against an opponent who is better — and they are right now" — but insisted that the manner of the defeat was the real problem. Squandering a reputation built over a generation of overachievement is, in his words, simply "unacceptable."

Can Croatia respond?

The captain's call to arms was clear. "We need to pull ourselves together, stay together because a new difficult game awaits us," he said, insisting that defiance and pride cannot disappear overnight. Whether Bilic — returning for a second spell after masterminding Croatia's famous 3-2 win over England at Wembley that ended their 2008 European Championship qualifying hopes — can restore belief quickly enough remains the key question.

For England, this was a statement performance under Tuchel. Seven goals away from home (the match was played in Rijeka rather than Zagreb, though still classed as a home fixture for Croatia) against a side with genuine pedigree is not something to dismiss lightly. The market had already warmed to England's Nations League prospects before kick-off; Saturday's result will have reinforced that confidence considerably.

Croatia, by contrast, face a rebuild — and fast. A 41-year-old club legend calling the performance shameful is not the kind of headline any manager wants heading into a home tie against the world champions.

Frequently asked

What was the score between Croatia and England in the Nations League?
England beat Croatia 7-0 in Rijeka on Saturday in their UEFA Nations League Group A3 fixture.
Who scored for England against Croatia?
Harry Kane scored twice, with Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, Bukayo Saka (two goals) and Morgan Rogers also on the scoresheet.
What does the Nations League result mean for Croatia's qualification chances?
Croatia drop to third in Group A3. Only the top two qualify for the quarter-finals, leaving them facing an uphill battle with games against Spain, England away and the Czech Republic still to come.