Luka Modrić to break Croatia record this week
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
Tomorrow night Luka Modrić will equal the record for the most caps for Croatia, and barring injury, will set a new record this weekend.
Modrić will lead Croatia tomorrow night in their opening 2022 World Cup qualifier against Slovenia in Ljubljana. It will be the Real Madrid midfielder’s 134th appearance for Croatia, the same number which current record-holder Darijo Srna ended his career on.
Modrić will be alone at the top on 135 most likely on Saturday after Croatia plays Cyprus in Rijeka.
There are only 8 players who have made the 100 caps club for Croatia. Apart from Srna and Modrić, others to reach 100 caps are Stipe Pletikosa (114), Ivan Rakitić (106), Josip Šimunić (105), Ivica Olić (104), Vedran Ćorluka (103) and Dario Šimić (100).
Ivan Perišić is only 4 matches away from joining the club.
Modrić made his debut for Croatia against Argentina in Switzerland on 1 March 2006 as part of preparations for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Modrić collecting the Golden Ball at the 2018 World Cup (Photo: Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/CC license)
Since then, he has played for Croatia another 132 times and has scored 16 goals. He has participated the UEFA Euro 2008, 2012, and 2016, as well the 2006, 2014, and 2018 FIFA World Cup.
At UEFA Euro 2008, he was selected for the Team of the Tournament, becoming only the second Croatian to ever achieve this honour.
Following group stage eliminations in his first two World Cups, Modrić led Croatia to the 2018 World Cup Final, and he received the Golden Ball award for Best Player of the Tournament.
Luka Modrić (Photo credit: Fanny Schertzer / CC BY-SA 3.0)
He has been named the Croatian Footballer of the Year a record eight times between 2007–2019 and has won four Champions League titles and a host of other awards.
