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Modric 'Ashamed' After England Beat Croatia 7-0

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England defeated Croatia 7-0 in a football match, a heavy defeat for the Croatian team.

Croatia's captain, Luka Modric, said he feels ashamed after the result. Modric is one of the most experienced players in European football.

England striker Harry Kane scored during the game. He has now reached 89 international goals from 124 appearances for his country.

Kane said the performance against Croatia should be the blueprint for how England plays in future matches. A blueprint means a model or plan to follow.

The match was part of the Nations League, a competition where European national teams play each other.

Attention has also turned to another fixture, as the Republic of Ireland are set to play Israel. Reports say tensions are building ahead of this game.

Tension here means a feeling of nervousness or difficulty between people before an event.

Other matches are also taking place, including Wales against Denmark.

The news coverage is being shared live, with readers invited to send their opinions by email.

Vocabulary11 words

defeat
a loss in a game or competition
ashamed
feeling bad or embarrassed about something
blueprint
a detailed plan used as a model
Nations League
a football competition between European national teams
tensions
feelings of stress or conflict before something happens
Luka Modric
the captain of Croatia's national football team
Harry Kane
England's main striker and top scorer
Republic of Ireland
an independent country with its own national football team
Wales
a country that is part of the United Kingdom
appearances
the number of times a player has played in matches
international
between different countries

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Quiz

1. What was the final score of the England v Croatia match?
2. How many international goals does Harry Kane now have?
3. Which match is reported to have building tensions?

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Fill-in-the-blank listening

Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.

England defeated Croatia _____-0 in a football match, a heavy defeat for the Croatian team.

Croatia's captain, Luka _____, said he feels _____ after the result.

England striker Harry _____ scored during the game. He has now reached _____ international goals from 124 appearances.

Kane said the performance should be the _____ for how England plays in future matches.

The match was part of the _____ League.

The Republic of _____ are set to play Israel. Reports say _____ are building ahead of this game.

Other matches are also taking place, including _____ against Denmark.

Discussion questions

  1. Why might a heavy defeat like 7-0 make a captain feel ashamed?
  2. Why do you think some international football matches, like Ireland v Israel, create tension before they happen?
  3. What does it mean for a performance to become a 'blueprint' for a team?
  4. Do you follow international football competitions like the Nations League? Why or why not?

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