Newly appointed Croatia head coach Slaven Bilic has publicly appealed to veteran captain Luka Modric to continue his international career following the team’s controversial elimination from the 2026 World Cup at the hands of Portugal.
Bilic has returned to manage the Croatian national team, succeeding Zlatko Dalic, who stepped down after a highly successful tenure that included a runner-up finish at the 2018 World Cup and a third-place finish in 2022.
The new manager confirmed he has already contacted the 40-year-old midfielder to discuss his future. “My wish, and I believe it is the wish of every Croatian football fan, is for Luka Modric to keep playing for the national team,” Bilic stated.
Bilic emphasized that the final decision rests entirely with the AC Milan star, stressing that Modric represents much more than just Croatia’s best player on the pitch due to his immense experience, leadership, and special status among his teammates and fans.
Modric’s last World Cup appearance ended in a painful 2-1 defeat against Portugal in the Round of 32—a match marred by refereeing controversy after a late Croatian equalizer was disallowed.
Critiquing the officiating, Bilic insisted that Croatia’s performance deserved a better outcome, praising their strong second-half display before labeling the decisive refereeing call as “unacceptable” and claiming his team was robbed.
While Bilic aims to build a competitive squad for UEFA Euro 2028, his immediate priority is retaining Modric to leverage his experience during this transitional phase. The Croatian captain is expected to finalize his decision after consulting with his family and his club, AC Milan, who are reportedly keen to extend his contract for another year.
