Luka Modric will continue playing for the Croatian national football team in the upcoming Nations League matches, the Croatia Football Association announced today [1, 2]. The veteran midfielder, who will turn 41 on September 9, 2026, had faced speculation about retiring after the World Cup earlier this year [3, 1, 2].
Modric has been a cornerstone of Croatian football since 2006, earning over 200 caps for his country [3, 1, 2]. He currently plays club football for AC Milan, having joined them last year following a lengthy career at Real Madrid [3, 1, 2].
Slaven Bilic, recently reappointed as Croatia's manager, expressed strong support for Modric's decision. "Luka's decision makes me extremely happy, we are all aware what he brings to Croatia, both on and off the pitch," Bilic said [3].
Croatia faces a demanding Nations League schedule. Their next matches include away games against the Czech Republic on September 26 and Spain on September 29. They will then host England on October 3 before playing a return fixture at Wembley Stadium on November 12 [3, 1, 2].
Modric's experience will be critical as Croatia looks to challenge strong European opponents this fall. The team's preparation will continue with these fixtures set over the next two months.
