Luka Modric didn’t get the fairy tale ending. But then, fairy tales don’t usually involve a 40-year-old midfielder chasing a winger half his age in the 110th minute of a quarterfinal, do they?
When the final whistle blew in Toronto, Cristiano Ronaldo wrapped Modric in a bear hug that said everything. The two former Real Madrid teammates, one still chasing his first World Cup, the other closing the book on his last. Modric’s Croatia had just been eliminated 1-0 by Portugal after a VAR review wiped out what would have been a 103rd-minute equalizer from Josko Gvardiol. Brutal. But fitting for a team that kept pushing the limits of what a small nation can do.
The Miracle Man’s Last Stand
Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic called this group of players “those who have made a miracle twice.” He’s not wrong. In 2018, Modric dragged Croatia to the final. In 2022, they took bronze. That’s two World Cup medals for a country of roughly four million people. For context, that’s fewer people than live in Los Angeles County.
Modric ends his World Cup career with 23 appearances, tied with Paolo Maldini. Only four players have more. Ronaldo is one of them. He’s got a Golden Ball and a Bronze Ball to show for it. He might even make the tournament’s all-time XI. Not bad for a guy who looks like he should be selling insurance instead of bossing midfield battles.
“Luka played especially well in the second half and was again one of our key players,” Dalic said after the loss. “He has shown his quality and his character and of course he was leading Croatia to the end.”
A Performance That Defied Age
Modric wasn’t just a passenger in this tournament. He started badly against England, giving away a penalty and getting subbed before the hour mark. But he finished strong. Against Portugal, he played nearly 110 minutes. He dropped so deep in the first half that he was basically a third center back. Then he’d read a pass nobody else saw and sprint 40 yards forward like a man who forgot he turns 41 in September.
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez couldn’t help but admire it. “The longevity he has, he plays the game like a young man,” Martinez said. “The capacity to think. Modric is a beautiful example of that.”
There was a moment in the second half when Rafael Leao hit top gear down the left touchline. And there was Modric, five yards infield, legs churning, chasing a kid 15 years younger. He didn’t catch him. But the fact that he tried, that he kept trying, that’s the whole story right there.
What Comes Next
Dalic hinted that this might be it for the old guard. “It is time for the new young players to gain experience,” he said. That means Modric, Mateo Kovacic, and Ivan Perisic might have played their last games together. The 2030 World Cup starts when Modric is 44. It’s not happening.
But Modric hasn’t officially retired from international soccer yet. He’s got 202 caps and 967 club games. He could walk away tomorrow and nobody would blame him. Ronaldo’s final words to him said it all: “Congratulations for everything, I wish you all the best for the next few years of your career.”
Martinez put it best: “He is going to stay in the folklore of football forever.”
Forever’s a long time. But then, so was Modric’s run with Croatia. And it ended the way it always threatened to — not with a trophy, but with a fight. A 40-year-old kid who never stopped believing there might be one more miracle left.
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