Wayne Rooney was quick to offer his condolences to Luka Modric after Croatia were all but knocked out of Euro 2024 after conceding a late equaliser against Italy.
The former Manchester United striker, watching from the BBC studio, made clear his admiration for Modric but admitted the manner of Croatia’s exit will be a sickener for the Real Madrid star.
Modric, despite missing a penalty moments earlier, had put his side in front with a smart left-footed finish from close range after 55 minutes, becoming the oldest ever goal scorer at the Euros in the process. But a superb finish from Mattia Zaccagni left Modric, who had been withdrawn before full-time, and his teammates distraught.
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“It’s hard to watch now because you’re wondering ‘is this Luka Modric’s last game for Croatia?’,” Rooney said. “You see the images of him before Italy score and how eager he was for the game to finish. It’s hard to take for such a great player.”
Asked about Modric’s goal, Alan Shearer added: “Doesn’t it just sum his character up, what he is and who he is. You can imagine how he’s feeling after that penalty but to get that chance just after and stick it away how he did was just unbelievable. You have to feel for him.”
“Leader, legend, character, skill, flair: all the things you want from a midfielder,” said Micah Richards. “It’s a sad day for him because it looked like he was going to be the hero, but now it’s all gone away.”
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