The Word Modrić Will Not Say at Forty

The Short Version

On May 18, 2026, Dalić announced Croatia’s 26-man final squad in Zagreb. Key points: (1) Modrić, 40, fifth World Cup (2006, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026), captain; (2) AC Milan starter — 38 appearances last season, his post-35 career has been remarkably stable; (3) Croatia in Group L: June 17 vs England (Arlington), June 23 vs Ghana (Philadelphia), June 27 vs Panama (Toronto); (4) Qualifying record 7W-1D-0L into North America; (5) Midfield core: Modrić + Kovačić + Luka Sučić (23-year-old heir); (6) Dalić in his 8th year as Croatia head coach, 2018 silver, 2022 bronze; the Dalić-Modrić partnership enters its ninth year. Neither Modrić nor Dalić has publicly said this is the last.

Monday Afternoon in Zagreb

The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) chose Monday afternoon, May 18, to announce the final 26. On the same day, four other nations also officially named their squads — Brazil at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio, Austria in Vienna, the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Kinshasa, and Croatia in Zagreb.

Of the four, Brazil drew the loudest attention (Neymar’s fate). Congo’s was the most historic (their first ever World Cup). Croatia’s was the quietest. The names were never in doubt. All eyes converged on a number.

Forty.

A Forty-Year-Old, Preparing for His Fifth

Modrić was born September 9, 1985. When the North American World Cup opens, he will be 40 years and 9 months old.

His five World Cups:

Four cups ago he was a young man. Two cups ago he won the Ballon d’Or (2018, breaking the ten-year Messi/Ronaldo monopoly). Last cup, at 37, he carried Croatia to a third-place finish — losing the semifinal to Argentina.

This time, he is 40.

The number alone is not strange — 39-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo will play this tournament for Portugal. But Modrić is different. He is not a veteran striker living off the team’s structure. He is the midfielder who controls the rhythm of the match through passing. There is no other 40-year-old midfielder in world football right now.

And he plays as a starter at AC Milan. 38 appearances last season — Serie A, Champions League, Coppa Italia. Massimiliano Allegri uses him as the axis of the midfield, not a ceremonial veteran but a name that appears on the starting eleven every time.

Goal.com’s Croatia preview notes that the Modrić-Kovačić-Pašalić-Sučić quartet anchors the entire Dalić system. The system has not changed, which means Modrić’s place will not change either.

The Word He Will Not Say

The media calls it “the last World Cup.”

Dalić does not. Asked in an April interview whether Modrić had one more in him, he answered in one Croatian sentence: “If he wants to play, there is a place for him.”

Modrić himself does not say it either. He signed a one-year contract at AC Milan (2025-26 season), and extension talks are still in progress. Asked about the 2030 World Cup, he smiled and didn’t answer.

Why won’t they say it? Two reasons.

One is commercial — AC Milan’s contract extension is unfinished, the Croatian federation is still in sponsorship negotiations. Saying “the last” two words would change the leverage of those conversations.

The other is more elemental — he does not know. He has played a full season every year for the past four years. As long as his body allows, he keeps playing. Allegri has used him as a Serie A starter without any sign of load management. Saying “the last” is a prediction about a player’s dignity, not a judgment about facts.

So the word hangs in the air. Nobody speaks it.

The Group L Arithmetic

Croatia is in Group L with England, Ghana, Panama.

England is the group favorite. In recent Croatia-England matchups, the 2018 Russia World Cup semifinal saw Croatia win 2-1 in extra time — Mandžukić’s goal kept England out of the final. The 2020 Euro group stage gave England their 1-0 revenge. This will be the first competitive meeting in seven years.

Ghana and Panama, on paper, Croatia should beat. But Croatia has never been a team that wins on paper. They win through midfield control, counter-attacking efficiency, and experience. Dalić’s 4-3-3 places Modrić in central midfield, partnered with Mateo Kovačić (Manchester City) and Luka Sučić (Real Sociedad).

Sučić is 23. He is widely seen as Modrić’s heir — same first name, same position, same passing vision. This is not a literary coincidence; it is the result of Dalić rotating Sučić alongside Modrić for two seasons. How many minutes Sučić plays across the three group matches will be the indicator of how deep Croatia goes.

If Croatia reaches the final like 2018, Modrić plays 7 matches. If the semifinal like 2022, 6. If group-stage exit, 3.

For a 40-year-old midfielder, 3 matches and 7 matches are two different World Cups.

Nine Years Together

Dalić took over Croatia in October 2017. Modrić had already played 2014 in Brazil. The two have now worked together for nine years.

There are not many players in the world who have shared nine consecutive years with a national-team head coach. The length itself changes tournament strategy — Dalić knows what Modrić looks like at minute 73, knows what he looks like on back-to-back-day fixtures, knows what kind of partner he needs. Another coach would take two years to accumulate that information.

That is also why everyone has assumed Modrić will be in the 26. Dalić does not need to “decide” — he decided years ago. This afternoon’s Zagreb press conference is, for Croatia, more a ceremony than an announcement.

At the ceremony, someone will ask the question. Dalić will probably smile and deflect. Modrić probably will too.

The time when he says “the last” two words himself may be in July.

FAQ

When does Croatia announce its 2026 World Cup squad? Monday afternoon, May 18, 2026, in Zagreb, by head coach Zlatko Dalić. The same day also sees official announcements from Brazil, Austria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

How old is Modrić at the 2026 World Cup? 40 years and 9 months at the opening. Modrić was born September 9, 1985; the World Cup opens June 11.

Which World Cup is this for Modrić? His fifth. Previous four: 2006 Germany, 2014 Brazil, 2018 Russia (runner-up), 2022 Qatar (third). Croatia did not qualify in 2010, so there is a one-cup gap in the middle.

Which club does Modrić play for? AC Milan. He transferred from Real Madrid in summer 2025 on a one-year contract. He made 38 appearances across Serie A, Champions League, and Coppa Italia in 2025-26 as a starting midfielder.

Which group is Croatia in? Group L with England, Ghana, Panama. Schedule: June 17 vs England (Arlington), June 23 vs Ghana (Philadelphia), June 27 vs Panama (Toronto).

When did Modrić win the Ballon d’Or? 2018. He led Croatia to the World Cup final and broke the ten-year duopoly of Messi and Ronaldo. He was the first non-Messi/Ronaldo winner since 2007.

What was Croatia’s qualifying record? 7 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses. They topped UEFA Qualifying Group L. The only draw was a home 0-0 against Czechia.

Will Modrić admit this is his last World Cup? Neither Modrić nor Dalić has publicly admitted it. Dalić’s statement stops at “If he wants to play, there is a place for him.” Commercial extension factors mean neither will say “the last” voluntarily.

Croatia’s last two World Cup finishes? 2018 Russia runner-up (lost 2-4 to France in the final), 2022 Qatar third place. Two of the most stable performances by any small nation. Croatia’s population is 3.8 million — the smallest finalist nation in World Cup history.

How long has Dalić been Croatia’s head coach? Nine years. Zlatko Dalić took over in October 2017, leading Croatia to the 2018 final and 2022 semifinal. His partnership with Modrić is among the longest active coach-player pairings in world football.