World Cup 2026 Warm-up: Modric Leads Croatia to Victory, Norway Held by Morocco

Croatia secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Slovenia in their final World Cup 2026 warm-up match, boosting their confidence ahead of the tournament. Veteran midfielder Luka Modric, at 40 years old, once again proved his enduring influence by scoring the opening goal.

Playing at home in Varazdin, Croatia dominated possession against a defensively compact Slovenia. Despite their control, both teams failed to break the deadlock before halftime. Six minutes into the second half, Modric struck from outside the box, finding the bottom left corner after receiving a pass from Ivan Perisic.

Slovenia equalized in the 83rd minute when Andraz Sporar capitalized on a defensive error. However, Croatia found a last-minute savior in Mario Pasalic, who scored in the 90+3 minute to seal the win. This positive result concludes Croatia's preparations as they prepare to compete in Group L alongside England, Ghana, and Panama.

In another friendly, Norway was held to a 1-1 draw by Morocco in New Jersey. Morocco took an early lead through Brahim Diaz in the eighth minute. Despite featuring stars like Martin Odegaard and Erling Haaland, Norway struggled to penetrate Morocco's defense in the first half. They eventually equalized in the 75th minute with a close-range finish from Odegaard, assisted by Oscar Bobb.