Luka Modric and the problem with ageing
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Luka Modric had been waiting for 18 years to make history. Back in 2006, before Lamine Yamal was even born, Modric was a substitute in a match against Brazil at Berlin’s Olympiastadion, but he never got the chance to play because his manager, Zlatko Kranjcar, didn't put him on the pitch. However, with remarkable perseverance, Modric made it back to Berlin and his achievement was remarkable as he joined only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lothar Matthaus as the only Europeans to have played in nine major tournaments. At almost 39 years old, he became the oldest player ever to play in the European Championships, but his record may be short-lived as Ronaldo and Pepe are hot on his heels and may surpass him soon.
On a day where records were broken, the focus shifted towards the potential of youth instead of experience. Lamine Yamal, who is 22 years younger than Modric and the youngest footballer at this level, performed amazingly. Spain won 3-0 against Croatia, and questions were raised about the Croatian team. Is age finally catching up to them? Will Modric, who still has a youthful physique, eventually succumb to the passage of time, as evidenced by his baggy shorts? While not as dramatic as Zidane's exit from the 2006 World Cup, this day prompted contemplation.
The midfielders who have played a combined 375 games together can still pass, but they may not be able to press as effectively as before. Since Spain had less possession than usual, the Croatian team did not get near enough to them. The coach, Zlatko Dalic, stated that they were not aggressive enough and were too sluggish and distant from the other players. He believed the situation was more evident on the sides of the field rather than the midfield players, but this could be due to the older players being hesitant to confront younger, quicker players. As players age, every loss is thought to be due to a possible decline. This could be just a bad day, according to Dalic, or it might be a symbolic event, marking the conclusion of an era.
The standout midfielder in the game was Fabian Ruiz, who may not have the fanciest skills but makes up for it with his constant energy on the field. He is currently 28 years old, the same age Luka Modric was when he won his first of six Champions League titles. Ruiz has played in 176 of those 375 games, with Marcelo Brozovic and Mateo Kovacic splitting the remaining 199 appearances between them.
Modric and Kovacic were both taken off after 65 minutes to rest their older bodies for future matches against Albania and Italy. Although it was a practical decision, Modric has often played long stretches of time in past World Cup games, lasting even after younger players have tired out. However, in the current season, Modric has been playing as a substitute instead of a regular starter for Real Madrid. He has formed a unique partnership with Toni Kroos, where one player starts the game and the other finishes it.
Kroos is saying goodbye to playing international football and this may be his final farewell to the game altogether. He recently won the Champions League in his last club match and if he decides to retire after Euro 2024, it may make it a double victory. He played extremely well against Scotland, completing 101 passes out of 102, some of which were outstanding. He may not be the most experienced player, but he may be the first to leave – creating a very interesting story. Unlike Kroos, Modric wants to continue playing forever, much like James Anderson in cricket. It was impressive that Modric was ranked third best in the World Cup when he was 37 years old and he made it clear that he was not retiring from international duty at that time.
His nation does not have anyone suitable to take his place. Croatia is facing issues with the different age groups in their team. The older players may be too old to continue playing, while the younger players, except for Josko Gvardiol, do not seem to possess the same level of talent. There are no potential successors to replace the likes of Mario Mandzukic and Ivan Perisic, and the ones available pale in comparison. It's possible that Coach Dalic may decide to put Perisic back in the starting lineup as the next plan of action. When Gvardiol was asked to take on the role of an attacking left back, it created vulnerability in the middle resulting in conceding goals. It was a poor performance, and Dalic is determined to figure out why and prevent it from happening again.
In the derby between Croatia and Spain, the former achieved a bittersweet victory. Spain, for the first time in 136 competitive games and not since the Euro 2008 final, finished a game with less possession. However, Croatia did not out-pass Spain, despite strong performances from Modric and his team. This win adds to Croatia's reputation of being skilled in coming from behind to ultimately succeed. They are currently facing the challenge of being last in their group, but they have surprised people with their resilience in the past.
However, Croatia led by Dalic had never experienced a day as terrible as this one, which only adds to concerns that the era of Modric's success may be fading away.
