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At 40 years old, Luka Modric is set to make his fifth FIFA World Cup appearance as Croatia prepares to take on England in their opening Group Stage match on Wednesday. By doing so, Modric extends his record as the Croatian player with the most World Cup appearances.
Modric’s World Cup journey began in 2006, when he was called up for his first tournament and made two appearances. After a disappointing group stage exit in 2014 in Brazil, his defining moment came in 2018, when he captained Croatia to a historic runner-up finish in Russia, scoring twice and winning the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. In 2022, Modric helped lead Croatia to a third-place finish in Qatar, making seven appearances.
Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Modric overcame a broken cheekbone suffered on April 26, an injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the season with AC Milan and cast doubt on his World Cup participation.
As Croatia’s captain, Modric will once again lead his country on football’s grandest stage as the team embarks on another quest for World Cup glory.
More: Why does England's Djed Spence wear a face mask at the World Cup?
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Luke Modric playing in World Cup? Croatia captain back for 2026
Continue reading...
At 40 years old, Luka Modric is set to make his fifth FIFA World Cup appearance as Croatia prepares to take on England in their opening Group Stage match on Wednesday. By doing so, Modric extends his record as the Croatian player with the most World Cup appearances.
Modric’s World Cup journey began in 2006, when he was called up for his first tournament and made two appearances. After a disappointing group stage exit in 2014 in Brazil, his defining moment came in 2018, when he captained Croatia to a historic runner-up finish in Russia, scoring twice and winning the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. In 2022, Modric helped lead Croatia to a third-place finish in Qatar, making seven appearances.
Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Modric overcame a broken cheekbone suffered on April 26, an injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the season with AC Milan and cast doubt on his World Cup participation.
As Croatia’s captain, Modric will once again lead his country on football’s grandest stage as the team embarks on another quest for World Cup glory.
More: Why does England's Djed Spence wear a face mask at the World Cup?
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Luke Modric playing in World Cup? Croatia captain back for 2026
Continue reading...
