Croatian star Luka Modric has achieved a milestone achieved by only three people in football history, cementing his place as one of the greatest players of all time.
Luka Modric makes history against Panama (Image: Ezra Shaw – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
The problem for soccer players in their late 30s is that they are always going to be disqualified after just one match. Cristiano Ronaldo made a mediocre contribution to Portugal’s mediocre performance against the Democratic Republic of Congo and that’s it.
“Stop embarrassing yourself, Cristiano, it’s over. It’s over. Just to clarify, you’re 41 years old.”A few days after scoring two goals against Uzbekistan, Gary Neville suggested on TV that Ronaldo would play in the 2030 World Cup.
That’s the way it is. And when he was substituted less than an hour into Croatia’s loss to England in the first leg of Group L, it was hard not to think this was too much of a tournament for 40-year-old Luka Modric. After all, central midfield is not an old man’s land.
However, Modric was credited with a narrow win against Panama, and the loss to England does not rule out the possibility of the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner leading Croatia for a long time at this World Cup. Despite his Ballon d’Or break from the dominance of Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Modric remains one of modern football’s greatest and most underrated players.
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However, it is not by Jude Bellingham. “He is unique and the best,” Bellingham, who swapped shirts with his former Real Madrid team-mate, posted after England’s win in Dallas.
Modric won his 200th cap on Tuesday against Panama, becoming only the fourth male player to achieve that feat. He joins Ronaldo, Messi and Kuwait’s Bader Al Mutawa.
Cristiano Ronaldo has won a staggering 230 caps for Portugal (Image: Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images)
“Maybe Luka wants to avoid all this, maybe he wants to prevent things like this from happening around him,” Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic said. “He’s very humble, very simple. He’s not cut out for big celebrations, but I’m very happy to have this opportunity.”
Dalic and Modric led Croatia during the golden World Cup era. In 2018, they defeated England in the last four to become runners-up, and in 2022 they advanced to the semi-finals.
“It means a lot that Luka is here,” Dalic said ahead of the game against Panama. “He is the captain of our team and my right-hand man on the pitch, which means a lot to our team.
Croatia pays tribute to Luka Modric’s achievements with a T-shirt (Image: Vaughn Ridley – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
“We have young players and they will be happy to have Luka next to them. He will teach them how to work and how to fight to get the Croatia shirt. Thank God he is still with us.”
Indeed, it took Modric quite a while to find his footing after joining Spurs in the summer of 2008. But his work ethic was never in question.
If he was initially doubted by some at Spurs, the same was true after his move to Real Madrid. In a fan vote at the end of the year following his move to Spain, he was voted the club’s worst player of 2012.
Luka Modric leads Croatia to the 2022 World Cup semi-finals (Image: Shaun Botterill – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
However, Modric spent 13 seasons at Madrid, playing a key role within the team and winning an astonishing 28 trophies during that time. Modric made 37 appearances in Serie A for AC Milan last season, but is yet to commit to the Italian club for another year.
A meeting with new coach Ruben Amorim is expected after Modric takes time off after the World Cup. He also has other options, including an emotional return to Dinamo Zagreb.
But whoever hires him next season will be acquiring a player who is truly a class act who will leave behind an endless legacy.
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