Luka Modric has led Croatia to the Nations League final on Sunday, where they could win their first major trophy ever against a Spain team that Modric knows very well.
With his Real Madrid contract ending this month, there are questions about the 37-year-old midfielder’s future both with his country and with the club.
Before he tries to solve them, Croatia captain Modric wants to lead his country of only 4 million people to victory at De Kuip in Rotterdam.
Over the past 25 years, the Balkan country has always done better than expected on the world stage, starting with their third-place finish at the 1998 World Cup.
After that, they made it to the final of the 2018 World Cup, where they lost to France. The following year, they finished third in Qatar, beating favourites Brazil along the way.
“We have once again become a powerhouse in football, showing that despite all our problems, we have quality and character,” said Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic.
“Now we need to stay calm and smart, not rush anywhere, towards that gold. That’s my great wish … bronze, silver and gold.”
Modric’s first international game was in 2006. On Thursday, he played in his 165th international game against the Netherlands.
He scored a penalty kick that helped put Croatia in the Nations League final with a 4–2 win in extra time, bringing them one step closer to that elusive “gold.”
The midfield genius ran the show for his country, beating Frenkie de Jong of Barcelona, but Rodri of Manchester City will be an even tougher test.
The key player for Luis de la Fuente’s La Roja, who are still getting their feet under them, is City’s hero from the Champions League final.
Joselu’s late goal helped Spain beat Italy in Enschede and calmed the storm. They haven’t won a trophy in over ten years, when they won the Euro 2012 tournament.
With Luis Enrique in charge, they lost to France in the 2021 Nations League final. This was just a few months after a thrilling 5-3 win over Croatia to get to the Euro 2020 semi-finals.
Photo by EPA/MAURICE VAN STEEN
