TORONTO — Croatian legend Luka Modric saw his potential World Cup “last dance” come to a dramatic and emotional end on Thursday following a down-to-the-wire 2-1 loss to Portugal in the Round of 32.
At 40 years old, Modric was still a heavy contributor in the losing effort, leading his team with 66 touches, completing three tackles, and delivering a pair of dangerous crosses in the second half. However, Croatia came up short when a late, game-tying goal from Joško Gvardiol was disallowed for offside.
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić noted that this was “probably” Modric’s last World Cup appearance, but added, “Only God knows what will happen in the next four years. We’ll see. We’ll talk about it in Croatia.”
“Luka played very well. Once again, he was one of our most important players. I’m very sorry it ended like this for him. He once again showed his character and his quality. He led Croatia until the very end,” Dalić added.
Modric, who led Croatia to second- and third-place finishes in 2018 and 2022, has now appeared in five World Cups. He started in all four matches in the 2026 World Cup.
“I played with Luka so many years,” Modric’s former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo said. “We’re nearly the same age. I think he’s a legend of football. He’s still a legend of football.”
Modric won the Ballon d’Or in 2018. At Madrid, he also won six Champions League titles and four LaLiga crowns. He played 23 club seasons, primarily with Dinamo Zagreb, Tottenham Hotspur, and Real Madrid. Even with AC Milan this past season, he led his team in total touches, pass completions, progressive passes, total carry distance, and ball recoveries.
“You’re talking about a player that, with the longevity that he has, plays the game like a young man with the capacity to think,” Portugal coach Roberto Martinez said.
“There are not many times when you speak about the thinking part of the game; everything is about the tactics, the technical aspect, the physical aspect. Not many times do we talk about a player who can put the foot on the ball and make a decision. I think Modric is a beautiful example of that. Depending on how the game goes, he finds his pace, and he makes the right call.”
