Luka Modrić: ‘We played well and did not lose our heads’

RIJEKA, 16 November 2019 –  Luka Modrić is on his way to his 4th European Championship with Croatia after he led his side to a 3-1 win over Slovakia tonight in Rijeka. 

Modrić, who turned 34 two months ago, says he will now enjoy looking forward to what will almost certainly be his last European Championships playing for his country. 

“We are happy we qualified for the European Championships, now we will celebrate and for the next seven months enjoy waiting for the tournament to start. It is most important that we are there where, with our quality, we deserve to be,” Modrić said after tonight’s win.  

The Real Madrid midfielder, who once again was instrumental in tonight’s win, knew it would be a different match than the last time the two sides met when Croatia won 4-0.

“We knew this would be a tough game, different than the one in Trnava, and we prepared for it. I think we played well, even in the first half, despite being behind. We did not lose our head, but we continued to play our way and turned it around with three goals, and it could have been more. At halftime we supported each other, and we were aware that a goal would come if everyone offered a bit more of themselves. And that is how it was,” the captain said, before a special mention for the youngsters who covered for suspensions and injuries tonight. 

“The players who came in for the standard first team players showed that they can be relied upon and that they are the future of the Croatian national team and Croatian football,” Modrić concluded.