Croatia's World Cup Ends with Modric's Likely Farewell
Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic has indicated that veteran midfielder Luka Modric has likely played his final FIFA World Cup match following Croatia's 2-1 Round of 32 defeat to Portugal on Thursday in Toronto, Canada. Speaking after the match, Dalic expressed disappointment over the campaign's end while acknowledging the end of an era for one of Croatia's greatest players.
"Well, this was probably his last World Cup," Dalic said of Modric, as quoted by Reuters. "And I'm sorry that it ended this way."
Dalic Confident in Croatia's Future Despite Exit
Despite the emotional conclusion, Dalic insisted the team is not in decline but rather in a transition phase. He highlighted the emergence of young talents who showed promise at the highest level. "I'm not afraid for the future of the Croatian team," Dalic added. "We have a lot of young players coming in, and some of them have shown the quality today."
He described the current phase as the end of a remarkable cycle for Croatian football while emphasizing new beginnings. "We've come to an end of a wonderful era," he said, as quoted by Reuters. "And some new beginnings await us."
Dalic's Own Future Uncertain
When asked about his own future as national team coach, Dalic remained non-committal. "God knows what will happen in the next World Cup, but we'll talk about it in Croatia," he said.
Portugal's Comeback Victory
Portugal recovered from an early setback to secure a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory. Substitute Goncalo Ramos headed home a stoppage-time goal to send Roberto Martinez's side into the Round of 16. Croatia had taken the lead through Ivan Perisic, who became the country's all-time leading World Cup scorer. Cristiano Ronaldo equalized from the penalty spot after a VAR review.
Croatia had two goals ruled out for offside, including a late equalizer deep into stoppage time. Portugal will now face Spain in an all-Iberian Round of 16 clash.
End of an Era for Croatian Football
The match likely marked the end of Luka Modric's World Cup career. Modric, 40, has been a key figure for Croatia, leading them to the 2018 final and a third-place finish in 2022. His potential farewell signals a new chapter for Croatian football as younger players step up.
