On the Match Against England
"We lost to the better team. In the first half, we managed to come back twice from behind, but then we conceded early in the second half and that finished us off. For the next ten minutes, we were on the ropes, and Livaković kept us in the game.
We knew what was coming. I don’t remember us ever fielding a taller lineup, but I also don’t remember us defending set pieces so poorly. In the first half they didn’t create much from open play, apart from down the left flank. Everything else came from set pieces. From eight corners, they created six clear-cut chances.
We defended set pieces extremely badly, despite working on them in training, showing the players what to expect, and knowing they would use blocking schemes. We lost discipline, concentration, and responsibility. Later we changed the system. At halftime we talked about set pieces and agreed on how we would rotate, yet we conceded from exactly that situation in the first minute of the second half.
We lost to a better opponent—faster, stronger, more aggressive, and better organized. But we will not stop believing. We knew from the start that two decisive matches awaited us. We must forget what happened and turn our attention to Panama."
On Luka Modrić's Performance
"We played well and scored two fantastic goals, and Luka was involved in all of that. Later, however, we lacked energy. It’s true that we were not at a high level and left too much space.
The problem was not Luka alone—none of us handled the situation particularly well. We wanted to relieve some of the burden on him, but England were energetic and powerful. We started the second half very poorly.
Against Brazil we conceded in stoppage time, and against Colombia at the beginning of the match. In situations like that, it’s difficult to get back into the game. Of course the defeat hurt us, but now it is behind us."
On Tactical Systems
"This was always our plan against England. We needed to be stronger and more organized defensively, but we conceded four goals and everything else became irrelevant. Against an opponent of this quality, you cannot expect a good result if you gift them three goals.
The problem is not the system. The goal must be defended with your life, just as Kane did at the end of the match. I already announced that we would return to our usual system. I will not overthink things now.
Everything Croatia and I have achieved during my tenure has been accomplished using 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 formations. We did not play with three defenders during qualifying, except against the Faroe Islands when Vušković arrived. Only after his arrival did we begin experimenting with that setup. But I repeat—the system is not to blame; the problem was the three goals we gifted them.
For Bellingham’s goal, he started from midfield and reached the net without anyone even touching him. That is a lack of concentration."
On the Young Players in the Squad
"We have several young players for whom this is their first World Cup, and that affected some individuals. Croatia has good young talent. New players are always emerging and maturing, and this is part of their development process."
On the High Number of Goals at the Tournament
"There have been quite a few unusual results. Several favorites have not won many matches—for example Spain, the Netherlands, and Portugal. The style of play may also be influenced by weather conditions, but it is still only the beginning of the tournament and the first round.
Some teams have scored a lot of goals, and there have also been matches decided by large margins. Not all national teams are equal, and the difference in quality becomes apparent."
On Panama
"Panama are not a harmless team, but they are not England. We will have much more possession and more set-piece opportunities. We need to prepare properly and carry out a detailed analysis.
We will not change much, but we will change our approach to set pieces. That comes down to responsibility, and responsibility is a personal matter. Since I became head coach, these were the worst set pieces we have ever defended and executed.
When selecting the lineup, we chose tall players because we knew what was coming, but it looked as if they were not even present in the penalty area. Even the chances England created after their third goal came from set pieces. There were not many opportunities from open play—almost everything came from dead-ball situations. England are the best in the world at that."
On Changing the Training Schedule
"We planned to train in the morning, but we returned late from Dallas. Recovery training after a match is always the same. The players who did not play will have a full session, while the others will do light work.
On Saturday and Sunday we will focus on set pieces. There is no anger and no punishment. We must stick to our plan, knowing that everything depends on the next two matches.
This situation reminds me of the one against Spain, when we started losing our way and our concentration. We will try to stop that from happening again, but without anger because there is no need for it."
On Motivating the Players
"By showing them these goals. We must believe in ourselves. Over the last fifteen days we have had plenty of energy and motivation, and this defeat will not derail us.
We lost to the better team at this moment in time. There is no pessimism and no search for scapegoats. I am the head coach and the responsibility is mine. The players and I each accept our share of that responsibility.
We move forward positively and calmly, without thinking that everything is over. I advise the players to read as little media coverage as possible. We have our own path and we believe in what we are doing. We must stay focused on what lies ahead.
This match is behind us, and everything is still in our hands. Sučić and Baturina played brilliantly, and Baturina scored a fantastic goal. Musa scored as well. He was selected ahead of Budimir, as was Matanović, because of their defensive contribution. Against Panama, we will use Budimir."
On the Players’ Psychological State
"The mood cannot be bad. This is not the end of the world. I have not spoken much with the players. I wanted things to settle and for everyone to sleep on it. Tomorrow we will have a meeting and discuss everything.
There is no need for negativity. Two matches remain. An atmosphere of dissatisfaction and public criticism would help no one. The situation is not bad.
Previously we said England was important, but what comes next is even more important."
On the Retaken Penalty
"I saw the image. I can only wonder what would have happened if the situation had been reversed. It probably would not even have been discussed.
But we are back to the same old story. It is what it is. Saving that penalty would have lifted us mentally; the whole team would have gained confidence, while they would have been shaken. Instead, the penalty was retaken and we conceded.
The referee’s explanation? I did not even ask. The explanation was that Livaković left his line too early, but the question is at what exact moment the frame was frozen. We have seen all of this before."
On Dominik Livaković
"He kept us in the game and we stood by him. We believed in him even when he was not playing, and that faith paid off. He is repaying that trust now as a true professional.
He means a great deal to us, and I hope he will not have nearly as much work to do in the matches ahead."
On the Cooling Breaks
"Since everything has become a show, that has become part of it as well. It is useful because it gives us a chance to pass information on to the players. If that was the main idea behind it, then it serves its purpose."
