IF TONIGHT does prove to be the end for Croatia and Luka Modric, it was a cruel way to bow out.
The nation of less than four million people have tended to overperform at major tournaments.
After it seceded from Yugoslavia, the newly formed team entered the Fifa World Rankings in 125th place in March 1994.
Since then, they have qualified for every major tournament apart from Euro 2000 and the 2010 World Cup, finishing third twice and runners-up once in the latter competition and getting to the quarter-finals of the former twice (in 1996 and 2008).
Tonight, they looked set to pull off another famous victory.
Croatia led Italy 1-0 for much of the second half as the holders appeared in danger of a premature group-stage exit.
Instead, Mattia Zaccagni’s dramatic 98th-minute equaliser guaranteed his side’s place in the knockout stages while breaking Croatian hearts.
Of course, Croatia are not certain to be going home and Modric is not officially retired, but the players’ crestfallen reaction at the end suggested they strongly suspected their tournament was over and it would take an improbable set of results to keep them alive. They will be knocked out of the tournament on Tuesday if England do not beat Slovenia 3-0 or by four goals, or if Denmark fail to overcome Serbia.
It was a rollercoaster night for Modric in particular. Shortly after half-time, he looked set to endure a potential nightmare finish to his international career, as he missed a penalty with the game scoreless.
Yet if we know anything about the 38-year-old over the last 20-plus years of his career, it’s that he is persistent.
Typically, Modric admirably responded to tonight’s setback. Less than 60 seconds after the failed spot kick, he reacted sharply to a rebound, finishing clinically to give his side the lead against an Italian team whose resolute defence won’t give opposition teams many chances in this tournament.
In giving his side the lead, Modric became the oldest goalscorer in Euros history.
At 38 years and 289 days old, he broke the record set by Austria’s Ivica Vastic in 2008 by 32 days.
This was far from the former Tottenham man’s only contribution. He had a fine game, knitting the play together brilliantly and rarely making a misjudged decision when in possession.
Coach Zlatko Dalić’s decision to substitute Modric in the 80th minute was somewhat understandable.
🇭🇷 1-0 🇮🇹
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 24, 2024
Gianluigi Donnarumma saves a Luka Modric penalty but seconds later Croatia take the lead from open play and it's Modric who's the hero for his side once more.
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The thinking was that they needed energy and younger legs in the middle of the field, and the fact that Modric was on a booking also potentially contributed to the decision.
It is easy to say in hindsight, but Modric was still impacting the game and his inherent calmness and experience might have been enough to get his side over the line if he stayed on the pitch.
“It’s hard when you lose like this to find the words to describe how you feel,” the star man said after tonight’s game.
“Perhaps it’s unfair because we all really fought for Croatia right from the first whistle until the last. We should be proud of the way we represented our country tonight.”
And if it does prove to be the final meaningful chapter of a magnificent career, Modric can reflect on an indelible legacy.
Surely no footballer has done more to take Croatia to unprecedented heights.
Overall, he has appeared at five Euros and four World Cups.
It was perhaps November 2007 when Modric first came to the attention of the wider footballing public.
The then-22-year-old, playing for Dinamo Zagreb at the time, masterminded Croatia’s 3-2 victory over England at Wembley, which ensured Steve McClaren’s side failed to qualify for Euro 2008.
Since then, he has been regularly tormenting opposition nations.
Had his era not coincided with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s, he would surely have picked up more than the one Ballon d’Or he claimed in 2018.
His inspirational performances at the 2018 World Cup, leading Croatia to the final, saw him win the Golden Ball, while he was similarly influential in Qatar 2022 as his country finished third and the accomplished midfielder took home the Bronze Ball.
Six appearances in the FIFPRO World 11 and three in the Uefa Team of the Year also indicate how highly he is rated within the game, and six Champions League triumphs emphasise that he has the team accolades to back up the individual ones.
Even if he had never worn the shirt of his country, his phenomenal Real Madrid stint alone would have guaranteed legendary status.
The disappointing nature of this likely exit could prove an unfortunate end to a glorious, 178-cap career, although speaking after the game, Modric did not take the opportunity to retire on the spot.
“I’d like to keep playing forever but there will probably be a time I’ll have to hang up my boots,” he said.
“I’ll keep playing on, I don’t know for how much longer.”
Given his trademark persistence, it would equally not be a shock to see him lining out at the World Cup aged 40 in two years.
He made more La Liga appearances this season than Jude Bellingham, a player almost exactly half his age, so perhaps there is more fuel in the tank of this consummate professional.
