Modric Makes History

Veteran number 10 Luka Modric continues to rewrite the history books, becoming the first player to reach the historic milestone of 200 caps for the Croatian national team.

His teammates wore shirts honoring Modric's historic milestone

Luka Modric has once again left an extraordinary mark on his illustrious career by hitting the 200-match milestone for Croatia during their World Cup 2026 clash against Panama on the morning of June 24.

At 40 years old, the talismanic number 10 midfielder remains the ultimate icon of Croatian football. Reaching 200 appearances firmly cements Modric's position as the country's all-time most-capped international. He is followed in the record books by Ivan Perisic with 137 caps and Darijo Srna with 134 appearances.

Beyond setting a historic milestone for appearances, Modric also carved out another record at global football's showpiece event. He is now the third-oldest outfield player to ever feature in a World Cup. Only two names stand ahead of the Croatian legend: Roger Milla, who played at the tournament aged 42 years and 39 days, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who featured at 41 years and 132 days.

The 2026 World Cup also marks Modric's fifth appearance at international football's most prestigious tournament. Having featured in the 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026 editions, he becomes one of an elite, rare group of players to maintain a world-class level across two decades.

Modric's legacy is intrinsically linked to the golden era of Croatian football. At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, he captained his side to the final, finishing as runners-up after a hard-fought battle against France. Four years later in Qatar, Croatia continued to defy the odds by reaching the semi-finals, famously knocking out heavyweights Brazil in the quarter-finals before bowing out to Argentina.

Ahead of this summer's tournament, Modric confirmed that the 2026 World Cup will serve as the final chapter of his legendary international career.