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Luka Modric remains with Croatia for September and October matches

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire From a news agency New plan
  • Croatia coach Slaven Bilic included 40-year-old Luka Modric in the squad for four upcoming Nations League matches.
  • Modric has made 202 international appearances and will continue his career with Croatia despite his age.
  • Bilic said Modric may not play all four matches in 12 days and set winning the European Championship as the team’s goal.

Luka Modric will continue playing for Croatia after coach Slaven Bilic included the Milan midfielder in the squad for the team’s upcoming Nations League matches, despite Modric turning 41 on Wednesday.

He is very important to us on and off the field. Modric was Milan’s best player against Juventus. And I did not persuade him to do anything, he is devoted to Croatia and its national team, and that benefits everyone.

· Slaven BilicBilic explained why Modric remains in Croatia’s squad.

Bilic announced the squad at a news conference and said Modric remained important both on and off the field. “He is very important to us on and off the field. Modric was Milan’s best player against Juventus. And I did not persuade him to do anything, he is devoted to Croatia and its national team, and that benefits everyone,” Bilic said.

Croatia will visit the Czech Republic in Prague on Sept. 26, travel to Spain on Sept. 29, then host England on Oct. 3 and Spain on Oct. 6. Bilic said he held a long conversation with the Croatian captain, lasting “two or three hours,” before finalizing the squad.

two or three hours

· Slaven BilicBilic described the length of his conversation with Modric before naming the squad.

The coach added that Modric would not necessarily play all four games in the 12-day period. His participation will be adjusted to a workload similar to the one he maintains at Milan.

He has nothing to justify. No Croatian goalkeeper has ever gone to such a big club.

· Slaven BilicBilic defended goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic despite concerns about his playing time at Barcelona.

Modric was part of the Croatia teams that finished second at the 2018 World Cup and third at the 2022 World Cup. He also played in the 2023 Nations League final, which Croatia lost to Spain. Bilic named 26 players and retained an experienced core while opening the door to new names. The squad also includes goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, whose lack of playing time at new club Barcelona concerns the coach. “He has nothing to justify. No Croatian goalkeeper has ever gone to such a big club,” Bilic said. Bilic added that Croatia’s objective is to win the European Championship.

The objective is to win the European Championship.

· Slaven BilicBilic stated the goal for his new period as Croatia coach.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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