Luka Modric to continue international career beyond 41st birthday

Luka Modric, who turns 41 this Wednesday, has confirmed he is not ready to retire from international football. The Croatian Football Federation announced that their captain intends to continue representing the national team in the upcoming Nations League matches, including a high-profile fixture against England.

His decision coincides with the return of Slaven Bilic as head coach, the manager who helped guide Modric during his early international days between 2006 and 2012. Many observers had expected the midfielder to step away following Croatia's elimination in the last 32 of the World Cup by Portugal.

Of course, Luka's decision makes me extremely happy. We are all aware what he brings to Croatia, both on and off the pitch. I'm looking forward to working with him again, after 14 years, and we both share a strong ambition to keep Croatia a top, successful team, shoulder to shoulder with the best teams in the world. Slaven Bilic

Modric, currently playing for AC Milan, has earned 202 caps for his country. He was the Golden Ball winner at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and a key part of the squad that secured third place in Qatar four years later.

Croatia’s upcoming schedule includes Nations League trips to face the Czech Republic on 26 September and Spain on 29 September. They are then set to host England on 3 October, with the return match at Wembley scheduled for 12 November.