Modrić speaks honestly about the penalty: 'Careless, I touched him a little. Livaković? Sometimes they look at every detail, sometimes not'

Luka Modrić, captain of the Croatian national football team, spoke candidly about the penalty he conceded early in their 2-4 World Cup opening match defeat against England. Modrić acknowledged the foul was due to his own carelessness, admitting he made slight contact that was enough for the referee to award the penalty. This incident marked the first penalty he has given away in his extensive career, spanning 716 matches.

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A careless penalty, I touched him a little, but enough for the referee to award a penalty. In the first half, we were equal, but we conceded cheap goals. The third goal killed us and we had no strength to come back.

"A careless penalty, I touched him a little, but enough for the referee to award a penalty," Modrić stated after the game. He reflected that while the team was competitive in the first half, they conceded "cheap goals." The third goal conceded in the second half, he felt, was a decisive blow that extinguished any hope of a comeback.

Coach Zlatko Dalić expressed his disappointment, particularly with the team's defensive lapses, especially during set-piece situations, which they had prepared for but failed to control. "We were good in attack, but extremely bad in defense. Conceding four goals is too many," Dalić said, highlighting a particularly egregious defensive error on a second-half goal where an opposing player was left unmarked.

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They say Livi came off the line a little. Sometimes they look at every detail and trifle, sometimes they don't. It's a shame, but we have to turn the page and achieve the minimum goal in the remaining two matches.

With Croatia having a history of not advancing from the group stage when losing their first match, the pressure is mounting for their upcoming games against Panama and Ghana. "The first match always sets the tone for the tournament. We no longer have the right to make mistakes," the coach concluded, emphasizing the need for strong results in the remaining fixtures.

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We were good in attack, but extremely bad in defense. Conceding four goals is too many. The second goal, where a player stands completely alone and scores with his head, was catastrophic.

Young defender Luka Vušković and experienced player Joško Gvardiol also commented on the team's performance. Vušković acknowledged the need to learn from mistakes and refocus on the next match, while Gvardiol stressed the importance of maintaining mental strength and adapting to the team's tactical setup, despite feeling physically well after a recent injury.

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The first match always sets the tone for the tournament. We no longer have the right to make mistakes. We must achieve good results against Panama and Ghana to advance.