suffered two consecutive draws and almost lost hope of advancing to the knockout round, which made Modric red-eyed. Modric, who played for the Grid for the 178th time, may have finished his "last dance" in the national team and the European Cup!
Real Madrid's substitute and the core of the national team
In Real Madrid, Modric accepted the role of substitute, surrounded by top midfielders such as Kroos, Valverde, Chuameni, and Camavinga. Modric You can give full play to your experience, strength and role.
In the 2023-24 season, Modric played 48 times, with a total of only 2,398 minutes, averaging only 48.7 minutes per game. In the knockout rounds of the Champions League, Modric only played 112 minutes in 6 games, and only played 5 minutes in the final.
After winning the Champions League, Real Madrid announced a one-year contract extension with Modric. The media revealed that Modric not only chose to take a salary cut, but also accepted a substitute role, with the aim of hanging up his boots at Real Madrid in one year.
In the national team, Modric plays a completely different role. After switching to the Saudi League, Brozovic's condition plummeted, and his defensive strength and hardness declined significantly. Kovacic has always been playing the role of accompanying the prince to study. This left Modric with little support and unable to support the midfield of the Grid Army.
In the two European Cup group matches, Modric played 155 minutes, even more than the playing time in the Champions League knockout rounds.
life and death battle to complete redemption
only scored 1 point in two games, leaving Croatia almost out. The media speculated that once Croatia is eliminated, the game against Italy will be Modric's "farewell game" for the national team.
Kovacic said, "We will not consider whether this is Modric's last appearance. We are very happy and proud that he is still with us and still leading us. We hope that he can return to his best condition. "He knows he has to lead us and we will follow him."
However, Livakovic hinted that Modric will retire from the national team after the European Cup. "As long as he is on the pitch and in the dressing room, it is for us." It is of great significance. I believe that one day, when he is no longer around, we will follow in his footsteps "
The game against Italy was Modric's 178th appearance for the national team, in a European player country. Ranked third in the team's appearance rankings, second only to Ronaldo (209 games) and Ramos (180 games).
At the same time, this is Modric's 35th appearance in an international competition, continuing to refresh his own record of appearances in international competitions for Croatian players.
Facing Italy, Modric missed a penalty kick, but he scored a supplementary shot just 1 minute later, scoring a goal that could have helped Croatia secure a ticket to the knockout rounds. At the same time, he also became the oldest player to score a goal in the history of the European Cup at 38 years and 289 days.
Just like the game against Albania, Croatia once again conceded a goal at the last minute, which allowed them to only get 2 points after 3 group matches and almost lost hope of advancing to the knockout rounds.
Although he was selected as the best player in the game, Modric had red eyes whether he was receiving the trophy or being interviewed. Obviously, he has realized that Croatia will be eliminated.
Facing the camera, Modric said, "Football is sometimes cruel, and this game once again proved it. We should not have conceded this goal. It is a pity that we cannot get a victory to advance to the next round."
After the "last dance"?
Before the game against Italy, the famous reporter Guillem Balague revealed that Modric will not retire from the national team after the European Cup, but hopes to play in the World Cup at the age of 40.
There is no doubt that Modric is still in excellent form, but his physical fitness has also declined significantly. Modric was replaced twice in the three group matches. It is conceivable that Modric two years later is not qualified for the main position in terms of physical fitness and condition.
Before the European Cup, Cross has decided to hang up his boots, and Szczesny will also retire after the European Cup. Fans may regret their early retirement, but for players, retiring quickly may be a wise decision. If they stay, they may ruin their reputation for a lifetime.
On March 1, 2006, Modric made his debut against Argentina. In the following 18 years, Modric played 178 times for the national team, 9 times in international competitions, and won the World Cup runner-up and third place. and UEFA Nations League runners-up.
Although he missed the championship twice, the 38-year-old Modric has achieved the ultimate and made history. He can leave the European Cup with his head held high! Whether to make way for the younger generation is not just a decision that Modric needs to make.
