Luka Modric, three and a half months before his 39th birthday, is in Croatia’s selection, announced Monday by coach Zlatko Dalic, for Euro 2024 football (June 14-July 14).
“He can’t wait to play for Croatia and be our leader,” Dalic said when his squad was announced, referring to the Real Madrid midfielder, for whom this Euro could be the last international competition.
Another veteran heading to Germany for the Euro: striker Ivan Perisic (Hadjuk Split), 35, already alongside Modric during the 2018 (finalist) and 2022 (semi-finalist) World Cups.
Perisic has participated in 14 club matches this season: five at the start of the year with Tottenham before suffering a ruptured cruciate ligament in his right knee last September, nine since mid-April with Hadjuk Split, where Spurs loaned him out during the season.
“There are again many teams this time who can compete for the title at this Euro,” said coach Zlatko Dalic, who believes that Croatia is in the most difficult group in the first round of the continental tournament.
In addition to Albania, the team with the white and red checkered jersey will indeed come up against Italy, the defending champion, and Spain in Group B.
The Croatian squad will gather from Thursday in Rijeka, where as part of their preparation they will play a friendly match against Macedonia on July 3, before playing a second against Portugal on June 8 in Lisbon.
The Croatian selection for Euro-2024 football (26):
Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic (Fenerbahce/TUR), Ivica Ivusic (Pafos/GRE), Nediljko Labrovic (Rijeka)
Defenders: Domagoj Vida (AEK Athens/GRE), Josip Juranovic (Union Berlin/GER), Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City/ENG), Borna Sosa (Ajax Amsterdam/NED), Josip Stanisic (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Josip Sutalo ( Ajax/NED), Martin Erlic (Sassuolo/ITA), Marin Pongracic (Lecce/ITA)
Midfielders: Luka Modric (Real Madrid/ESP), Mateo Kovacic (Manchester City/ENG), Marcelo Brozovic (Al Nassr/KSA), Mario Pasalic (Atalanta Bergamo/ITA), Nikola Vlasic (Torino/D2/ITA), Lovro Majer (Wolsfburg/GER), Luka Ivanusec (Feyenoord Rotterdam/NED), Luka Sucic (RB Salzburg/AUT), Martin Baturina (Dinamo Zagreb)
Forwards: (Hajduk Split), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim/GER), Bruno Petkovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Marko Pjaca (Rijeka), Ante Budimir (Osasuna Pamplona/ESP), Marco Pasalic (Rijeka)
Reserves: Borna Barisic (Glasgow Rangers/SCO), Duje Caleta-Car (Lyon/FRA), Kristijan Jakic (Augsburg/GER), Dominik Kotarski (PAOK Salonika/GRE), Toni Fruk (Rijeka), Marin Ljubicic (LASK/AUT ), Igor Matanovic (Karlsruhe/GER, Niko Kristian Sigur (Hajduk Split), Petar Sucic (Dinamo Zagreb)
