At 40 years old, Luka Modrić played what is almost certainly his last World Cup match on July 2, 2026. He covered ground, won duels, made 11 interventions, and racked up 67 touches across roughly 105 minutes of football. Croatia still lost 2-1 to Portugal in the Round of 32.
The match, played in Toronto, had everything a scriptwriter would order: a legendary player on the back nine of his career, a reunion with former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo on the opposite side, and a late equalizer that would have forced extra time. Then VAR arrived, reviewed the goal, and disallowed it. Croatia’s tournament was over.
What Modrić actually did out there
67 touches across 105 minutes works out to roughly one touch every 94 seconds. For a central midfielder whose job is to dictate tempo and connect play, that’s a meaningful level of involvement, not a cameo.
The 11 interventions reflect defensive engagement, the kind of tracking back and pressing that a player coasting on reputation typically skips.
