Slaven Bilic Critiques Croatia's Lack of Aggression After Spain Defeat

Bilic Blames Lack of Aggression for Heavy Loss to Spain

Slaven Bilic expressed strong disappointment in Croatia’s performance following their harsh defeat to Spain in Seville. The head coach criticized his team's timid approach, questioning their fighting spirit against the reigning world champions. Watching from the sidelines, Bilic appeared frustrated as his team struggled throughout the match.

Frustration Over Croatia’s Passivity

Bilic did not hold back in his post-match comments, highlighting the lack of intensity and competitive hunger among his players. He suggested that many seemed overwhelmed by the occasion and the reputation of their opponents. Although acknowledging that the squad is in a rebuilding phase, Bilic stressed that such passivity was unacceptable given Croatia’s proud football history.

"A difficult night for us. We were bad in every way, we are disappointed. We can find some excuse in the fact that it is Spain, the world champion, and that our team is new, but we cannot play with such a lack of aggression, as if we were here just to celebrate their winning of the World Cup. We can't come here just to be part of the celebration. That’s not us," Bilic said.

Defensive Issues and Bright Spots Amid Struggles

The game started poorly for Croatia, conceding almost immediately. Despite managing to equalize briefly, defensive mistakes repeatedly cost them. Bilic pinpointed a lack of discipline during crucial moments, especially on set-pieces and under sustained pressure from Spain’s attack. The Croatian defense failed to cope with the fluidity and movement of their opponents throughout the match.

"We can find many excuses. When you concede a goal in the first minute against the world champions, you need a few minutes to recover. We equalized, and when we needed strength, calmness and intelligence to disrupt them, we conceded another goal from a set piece, and maybe it should have been the other way around," Bilic remarked."It shows that we played badly, especially in defense. Our defense did not work. But there is always something positive. Sometimes we managed to overcome their pressure with Kovacic and Perisic, and individually we can find some good things. Beljo played well, not only because of the goal."

Reality Check for Croatia’s New Squad

Bilic’s project to rebuild the national team faced a tough test in Seville. While confident in the technical skills of his players, he admitted their performance lacked the mental toughness required at this level. The gap between Spain and Croatia showed not just in the scoreline but also in tactics and physicality. Bilic emphasized the need for a stronger mentality to match the squad’s potential.

"We put this team together for a reason. On paper, the guys who played tonight have everything, but we showed very little," Bilic stated.

Upcoming Match Holds Major Importance

After the defeat to Spain, Croatia now turns its attention to a vital match against England on Saturday. Both teams currently share three points in the group, trailing Spain who lead with six. Spain will face Czechia before playing Croatia next week, making this clash crucial for both sides’ qualification hopes. A win for Croatia would revive their campaign and push them ahead of England in the standings before the decisive matches against the group leaders.

• UEFA Nations League A Matches:
• Croatia vs England: 3 October 2026, 19:00
• Spain vs Czechia: 3 October 2026, 21:45