In the upcoming Euro 2024 Group B match between Spain and Croatia, which is scheduled to take place at the Olympiastadion in Berlin this Saturday at the 5.0 Irish time, fans would be tuning in to watch it live on both RTÉ 2 and ITV.
Reflecting on the past, a young Luka Modric might not have been singled out as a potential rising star. He attended his first significant championship in Germany back in 2006 but barely managed to secure a spot in the World Cup team. Potential candidates for the ‘rising star’ of the Croatian side at the time might not have included him.
At 20 years old, Modric had already proven his worth at Dinamo Zagreb, following stints at Zrinjski in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Premijer liga and Inter Zapresic, a lesser-known club located in the western suburbs of Zagreb. He was introduced to the Croatian team earlier that year and celebrated a 3-2 friendly victory against Argentina. However, keen talent scouts were more likely to single out Niko Kranjcar as the nation’s future star.
Indeed, Kranjcar was a year older than Modric and was a staple in the Croatian side managed by his father, Zlatko. In contrast to Kranjcar’s full-time participation in the inaugural World Cup match against Brazil in Berlin, Modric was merely a substitute eagerly anticipating his chance to shine in the forthcoming encounter with Japan.
As Croatia wrestled to a draw against Japan in Nuremberg, Dario Simic marked his 82nd match, setting a record for the most appearances for Croatia. It seems like a negligible figure now considering Modric, who stepped in to replace Kranjcar in that match at the 78-minute mark, has far exceeded this record. Modric is expected to amass a staggering 176 caps this Saturday against Spain, right back where he started in Germany, albeit 18 years later.
Since the 2006 squad dispersed, the careers of many players have come to a halt. Niko Kranjcar called it quits over half a decade ago. Several others, such as Niko Kovac and Igor Tudor, have transitioned into coaching roles, some hold executive positions in football, whereas a handful, including Kranjcar and venerable forward Dado Prso, prefer to distance themselves from the spotlight. Scores have come and gone from the team over the years, with many following in their predecessors’ footsteps into retirement.
Modric is now prepared for his ninth significant tournament and his fifth European Championship, which will likely be his final one. Slaven Bilic, his former manager at both Croatia’s national squad and the under-21s, warns against any such assumption concerning Modric. Bilic was responsible for elevating Modric’s importance within the squad after a disappointing World Cup run for Croatia.
Even though none of Bilic’s original crew remain active within the national squad – Rakitic, despite still playing, retired from international football half a decade ago – it resembled the inception of a ‘Modric epoch’ which delivered considerable triumph to a small country on an international platform.
The Modric era feels almost timeless, with him being integral to everything, regardless of the periodic change in managers or team members. There have been, and remain, other exceptional players, but Modric has almost become synonymous with Croatia.
The era, while successful, has had its tough moments. The heavenliest moment of Croatia’s football history happened at the 2008 Euros. They appeared incredibly strong, defeating England and crushing their qualification aspirations even though Croatia’s place at the finals was already secure. However, Croatia’s journey ended on a low note in the second round against Turkey.
The 2012 tournament was challenging, particularly in light of the earlier inability to qualify for the World Cup and the subsequent supercharged community backlash. Modric played a more reserved role, and despite the weakened team putting up a fight against Italy and Spain – two of the opponents they’re also due to meet in Euro 2024 – they couldn’t progress from their group.
The 2014 World Cup in Brazil proved unmemorable for both Modric and Croatia. However, 2016 began to show some encouraging signs amidst turmoil. Although they lost to Portugal in the second round, the fan unrest and demonstrations against alleged corruption within the national federation proved more impactful than their performance.
An account of Croatia’s journey to the 2018 World Cup final is narrated in the book “Russia Of Our Dreams” by coach Zlatko Dalic. It was a period highlighted by Luka Modric’s excellence, earning him the Ballon d’Or. Then aged 33, the veteran athlete contemplated retirement. He carried a burden on his shoulders, notably potential perjury charges in his homeland relating to a case against Zdravko Mamic, ex-executive of Dinamo Zagreb, who was convicted of embezzlement and tax evasion.
Despite this cloud hanging over him, Modric battled on. He represented his province in another European Championship, won another medal in the World Cup, and kept his performance commendable, despite his advancing age slowing down the maestro. Now he’s ready to do it again.
Modric is a revered figure at home, but his reputation has been slightly tarnished due to a court judgement in the Mamic case where he was illegally paid half of the fees Tottenham paid Dinamo for his transfer, with most of this amount being passed on to Mamic and his family. As of now, the judiciary is yet to decide if Modric will face perjury charges in relation to statements given during the trial.
This reminder serves to highlight that even monumental success has its shadows, a fact often overlooked. Modric, the boy who honed his skills on a refugee hotel’s parking lot, developed into one of the greatest midfielders ever, becoming a symbol of Croatian football.
However, Bilic warns that it’s simply realism to expect Modric’s decline. “When Luka departs, it will leave an irreplaceable void in the team.”
Modric first appeared for Croatia and on the major tournament stage 6,680 and 6,571 days ago, respectively. Come this September, he’ll turn 39 and has just extended his contract with Real Madrid.
Yet, inquiries about the end of his career are premature. There is still a job to be done before he considers hanging up his boots.