Luka Modric

Luka Modrić is Croatia's all-time most-capped player and captain, widely regarded as the greatest Croatian footballer ever. Born on 9 September 1985, he is 40 years old in 2026. A central midfielder of exceptional technique and stamina, he spent most of his career at Real Madrid, winning four UEFA Champions League titles and was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 2018 — the first non-Messi, non-Ronaldo winner in a decade. His career arc ran from a difficult childhood during the Croatian War of Independence, through Dinamo Zagreb and Tottenham Hotspur, to Real Madrid from 2012, where he became one of the greatest midfielders in the club's history. He joined AC Milan in the summer of 2024 on a one-year deal after leaving Madrid.

On 23 June 2026, Modrić earned his 200th cap for Croatia in a 1-0 win over Panama in Toronto, with Ante Budimir scoring on 54 minutes. The victory keeps Croatia alive in Group L. Modrić, aged 40, became the fourth man in history to reach 200 international appearances, joining Ronaldo (230), Kuwait's Bader Al-Mutawa (202), and Messi (201).

He had opened the tournament with Croatia's 4-2 group loss to England on 17 June in Dallas, labouring through a difficult evening against a physically superior opponent. The Panama win resets Croatia's prospects heading into the decisive group fixture. That 2018 run, in which Modrić was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player, remains Croatia's finest hour, and his farewell campaign is one of the sentimental narratives of the tournament.

Croatia's tournament, and Modrić's international career, ended in the Round of 32 on 2 July, beaten 2-1 by Portugal in Toronto. Ivan Perisic had put Croatia ahead in the 53rd minute before Cristiano Ronaldo levelled from the penalty spot on 68, his first World Cup knockout goal at 41, and Goncalo Ramos struck a stoppage-time winner. The defeat closes what is almost certainly Modrić's farewell tournament at age 40.