Bilic urged Croatia to bravely face England.

Croatia, nicknamed the "Checkered Ones," will host England in the third round of Group C of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League. Head coach Sven-Göran Bilic stated in his press conference that his team must maintain a compact formation and bravely face the challenge posed by England.

In the second round of the group stage, Croatia, after falling behind, lost 1-4 to World Cup champions Spain thanks to a goal from Delana Belcho.

In England, Tuchel's team defeated the Czech Republic 2-0 in the last group stage match, thanks to goals from Gordon and Kane.

Croatian coach Bilic stated, "First, we must maintain a compact formation, and we also need to be brave. We must cooperate with each other and fight for our teammates. After regaining possession, we cannot be afraid to stretch the opponent's defense; we must implement our style of play and create threats through possession."

“It’s the same every time. I hope we can reach that level of play tomorrow, because only then will we have a chance to achieve the desired result. Of course, we hope to get the best results, but at the same time, we also want to see if this team is capable of competing with top opponents.”

Bilic also stated, "We must find a way to break them down, and that can only be tested in matches. We need to figure out if we can do it with the current squad, or if we need to make some adjustments. I think we can do both, because a team's playing style doesn't necessarily depend entirely on the individual characteristics of its players."

Furthermore, when discussing the 41-year-old legendary player Modric, Bilic said, "Like any other player, we have to be mindful of his physical limitations, so we give him special care. He is truly unique. People often say that age is just a number, and that's really true for him, and he continues to prove it."

"The reason he has been able to keep going is because he is so special and he is very important to this team."

Bilic also stated, "He is not just a player, nor just a captain. He is everyone's idol, and his importance is evident in every aspect, whether at the dinner table, during meals, or in team meetings; everyone can feel his influence."

"But most importantly, the reason he's still here is because he can still contribute a lot on the field and change the course of the game."

Image source: Internet