On Saturday, at 40 years and 291 days, Modric became the oldest player to record an assist at a World Cup.
“He plays like he’s 20 years old. He was incredible. He’s our leader and our best player,” said Petar Sučić, his Croatian teammate.
And you only have to look at how Croatia performed at the last two World Cups to understand his legacy.
In 2018, Croatia stunned everyone to reach the final, where they lost to France and finished third last time out – Modric’s 120-minute performance against Brazil in the quarter-finals as a 37-year-old is clearly a standout achievement. For a country with a population of just under four million, Croatia’s recent performance at the World Cup has been nothing short of outstanding.
Only five players have made more than 22 appearances for Modric across five World Cups. He retired in 2006 and is another player to have played more than 200 times for his country.