Croatia captain Luka Modric has called on the country's fans to support the team in their Nations League match against Spain on Tuesday. The team is seeking to make amends after a 7-0 defeat by England on Saturday. Modric, 41, said he was "ashamed" of the team's performance and hopes the fans will cheer them on as usual. The match against England was played in front of a crowd of 6,000 local children and a handful of England supporters due to a one-match punishment for fan racism.
The atmosphere is expected to be different against Spain, who won the World Cup in July and are unbeaten in 41 matches. Modric said Spain is the best team in the world and that Croatia will have to be aggressive and not give them too much space to find solutions. The two teams previously met in September, with Spain winning 4-1 in Seville. Croatia coach Slaven Bilic said the match against Spain offers a quick chance of redemption after the heavy defeat by England.
Bilic, who is coaching Croatia for the second time in his career, said the team's performance against England was "incredibly tough" and that they will never forget it. However, he believes the match against Spain is an opportunity for the team to react and show a better performance. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente wrote off Croatia's heavy defeat by England, saying it was just an accident in football and that it does not reflect the difference in footballing ability between the two teams.
De la Fuente also praised teenage winger Lamine Yamal, who has excelled for Spain in their first three group matches, scoring in each of them, including a brace against Croatia. Yamal is in fantastic form and is a role model and a born competitor, according to De la Fuente. The Spain coach said Yamal is in good shape to play the match against Croatia.
Spain midfielder Dani Olmo, who developed as a youth player at Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia, said he took the decision to leave Barcelona as a teenager to join Dinamo because of the interest of the club and how much they wanted to help him grow. Olmo left Dinamo to rejoin Barcelona in 2024 from RB Leipzig. He believes leaving Barcelona at 16 was one of the best steps he took in his career.
Modric, who earned a 205th cap against England, said he has not decided for how long he will continue to represent Croatia. He is taking it one game at a time and will see if he leaves the national team in a year or a month. The important thing for Modric is to be in a place that makes him happy, and he is willing to help at any time, both on and off the field.
The match against Spain is a difficult challenge for Croatia, but Modric and his team-mates are hoping for a positive reaction from the fans and a better performance on the pitch. The team's defeat by England was a shock, but they are seeking to bounce back and make amends against Spain.
Key points
- Luka Modric urges Croatian fans to support the team against Spain in the Nations League.
- Croatia is seeking to make amends after a 7-0 thrashing by England on Saturday.
- Spain is unbeaten in 41 matches and won the World Cup in July.
