End of an era? Luka Modrić on the brink of retirement

The final word belongs to Modrić.

Details: The Croatian national team is teetering on the edge of World Cup elimination. With just minutes left before the final whistle, the team is trailing Portugal, and if the score remains unchanged, this match could mark Luka Modrić’s last appearance for the national side.

There have been numerous reports in the media that the 40-year-old midfielder plans to end his international career after the 2026 World Cup. Modrić himself has not officially confirmed this, but from the outset, this tournament has been widely viewed as his likely “last dance.”

If Croatia fails to turn things around, the football world may bid farewell to one of the greatest midfielders of his generation—a Ballon d'Or winner in 2018, both a World Cup silver and bronze medalist, and a long-standing leader of his national team.

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