There are flashier young stars in this tournament, but few players will be more compelling to watch than Luka Modrić. Now 40 years old, the Croatia captain is closing in on what would be his fifth World Cup, and this feels like one last chance for one of the great midfielders of his generation to author another deep run with his country.
Modrić’s résumé is absurd. He left Real Madrid last year as one of the club’s most decorated players, then joined AC Milan, and he is still Croatia’s all-time caps leader. He also won the 2018 Ballon d’Or and the Golden Ball as the best player at the 2018 World Cup after leading Croatia to the final.
Part of what makes him interesting now is the contrast between age and influence. He is no longer the all-action version of himself from his prime, but Croatia still lean on his composure, passing range, and feel for the rhythm of a match. While he may not have the range of his youth, he can still control the game from midfield with his passing vision and ability to read the game in transition moments.
Modrić had a scare in late April after sustaining a fractured cheekbone in a nasty head to head collision playing for Milan, but the expectation is that he should recover in time for the World Cup, possibly wearing a protective mask. That only adds to the sense that this could be one final, very dramatic chapter for a player who has already had one of the great international careers of this era.