Slaven Bilic hails Luka Modric after winning start with Croatia
Luka Modric scored a brilliant goal as Slaven Bilic marked his return to the Croatia dugout with a 2-1 victory over Czechia in the UEFA Nations League.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 / Author: Real Madrid
Slaven Bilic enjoyed a successful return to the Croatia dugout as his side secured a 2-1 away victory against Czechia in their UEFA Nations League opener. Captain Luka Modric provided the standout moment, breaking the deadlock with a spectacular strike to set the tone for the match.
Fourteen years after leaving his initial post, Bilic was full of praise for his veteran playmaker. The manager emphasized that the global football community is fortunate to witness Modric competing at such a high level, noting his physical endurance and technical authority.
Luka Modric... we can only be proud that we live in his era and have the privilege to watch him play. At his age, he is incredible and the only one who can do what he's doing, you know what I mean. Slaven Bilic
Czech goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek admitted that Modric’s quality was the deciding factor, despite feeling unlucky with the goal. Meanwhile, teammate Mateo Kovacic highlighted how the squad has quickly unified around their captain under the new coaching staff.
Croatia now turns its attention to a major test on Tuesday, as they travel to Seville to face world champions Spain. The result will be crucial in determining the control of the top spot in their Nations League group.