Modric, 40, Leads Croatia Into 2026 World Cup Opener Against England

3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 17

Luka Modric will captain Croatia against England on Wednesday, extending an international career that began in 2006 and has brought him 198 caps.
The 40-year-old enters the opener as the symbol of Croatia’s rise from a nation of fewer than 4 million to a side that reached the 2018 World Cup final and finished third in 2022.
Romeo Jozak, who coached Modric as a teenager at Dinamo Zagreb, said the midfielder’s hunger and resilience — sharpened by loans in Bosnia and Croatia — drove a rise few predicted from his slight frame.
That development pipeline still underpins the squad: nearly half came through Dinamo, while coach Zlatko Dalic has turned Croatia into a consistent tournament force with second- and third-place finishes in his two World Cups.