Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic has told Luka Modric to forget about international retirement.
Modric celebrated his 37th birthday in September but remains the driving force of a football-mad nation that continues to punch above its weight. Now, on the eve of Croatia’s meeting with Japan for a place in the World Cup quarter-finals, Dalic has insisted that the Real Madrid playmaker’s 159th international cap will not be his last - even if the 2018 finalists suffer a shock defeat.
Dalic said: “This will not be Luka’s last tournament. He will continue to play for Croatia, I am absolutely certain of that. Luka continues to work hard and he continues to strive for self-improvement. We will need him for some time more in the future.”