In a few weeks, Real Madrid captain Luka Modric will turn 39 years old and then go on to become the oldest footballer to have played for the Spanish capital club, beating past Ferenc Puskas’ record.
Despite being at an age when most footballers have already retired, Modric continues to go strong, playing at one of the biggest clubs in the world week in and week out while also representing the Croatian national team.
No plans of slowing down
Following the culmination of the UEFA Euro 2024 this summer, there were murmurs about Luka Modric stepping down from national team duty with Croatia and retiring.
However, according to AS, the Real Madrid captain has no plans of slowing down as far as international commitments are concerned.
In fact, Modric is said to have dreams of playing in the FIFA World Cup in 2026 in North America.
This comes after the veteran superstar was named in the Croatia squad for the upcoming international break in September when they take on Portugal and Poland in the UEFA Nations League.
Modric considers himself a vital cog in the Croatian setup, more so with fellow midfielder Marcelo Brozovic recently announcing his international retirement.
As such, the Real Madrid ace dreams of carrying on for two more years and playing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup – set to be hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Modric would be 40 years old by then, closing in on 41. The midfielder can draw inspiration from his former Real Madrid teammates Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe who played at the UEFA Euro 2024 this summer aged 39 and 41, respectively.