Luka Modrić Just Joined a Club That Only Three Other Men’s Players Have Ever Reached

Croatia needed a win against Panama on Wednesday night. They weren’t getting much going in a tight first half in Toronto. But for Luka Modrić, the occasion itself was already historic.

The 40-year-old midfielder stepped onto the pitch for his 200th international cap. That puts him in company so exclusive you can count the members on one hand. He joins Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Lionel Messi (Argentina), and Bader Al-Mutawa (Kuwait) as the only men’s players ever to hit that number.

Modrić has been doing this for a long time. Like, a really long time. He debuted for Croatia back in 2006, which was before most of his current teammates were even in high school. Two hundred appearances later, he’s still out there in a must-win World Cup group match, trying to unlock a defense that wasn’t giving up much.

Panama, coached by Thomas Christiansen, came in organized and patient. Croatia had the better chances but couldn’t find the breakthrough before halftime. The game was scoreless. The tension was real. And all eyes were on the guy in the midfield who doesn’t seem to age.

Modrić is already the oldest player to appear for Croatia, and he keeps adding to that record. His 200th cap isn’t just a number. It’s a testament to longevity, consistency, and the kind of professionalism that keeps you at the top long after most players have retired to a booth in a studio. (Or to coaching, which Modrić has shown no real interest in yet.)

It’s also worth remembering what he’s done in those 200 games. A Ballon d’Or in 2018. A World Cup final that same year. Another third-place finish in 2022. He’s been the center of everything good about Croatian soccer for nearly two decades.

Croatia opened this tournament with a loss to England, so the Panama game felt like a pivot point. Lose or draw here, and the path forward gets complicated fast. Modrić has never been one to panic, though. At 40, he still moves like he’s 30. His first touch is still immaculate. His vision is still a step ahead of everyone else on the field.

The milestone will get the headlines. But Modrić probably cares more about the result. That’s always been the way with him. He’s not the type to stop and pose for the camera mid-game. He’s just trying to find the pass that breaks the deadlock.

Whether Croatia got that goal in the second half or not, the moment itself was already carved into soccer history. Two hundred caps. Only three other men have done it. And one of them was wearing a Croatia jersey on a humid night in Toronto.