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There does not seem to be an end in sight to Luka Modric’s brilliance and the manner in which he continues to age like fine wine is just astonishing.
In a matter of years, the Croatian star has seen the entire dressing room change around him with club legends and former teammates including Sergio Ramos, Casemiro, Karim Benzema and most recently Toni Kroos all leaving the club.
The 39-year-old, despite being one of the oldest of the previous crop of players, shows no signs of slowing down and is going strong for Real Madrid.
Apart from his obvious successes with Los Blancos, Modric has also enjoyed a great run with Croatia across international competitions in recent years.
After making it to the final vs France in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, his country made it to the semifinal in 2022 only to be downed by Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
Modric, who was well north of 35 in Qatar, was thus expected to be playing his final World Cup at the time.
As revealed by Jose Felix Diaz (h/t Madrid Xtra), however, the Croatian does not rule out his participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States. Considering that he will be about 41 years old at that time, it is truly ridiculous.
The report furthers that the player sees it better if he is still at the elite level with Real Madrid at the time, meaning that his stint with Los Blancos could well go past this season.
Given his age, Modric is only offered one-year extensions at Real Madrid based on his performance and ability to compete at the highest level. Having shown no signs of slowing down till now, he could well drag on for two more years.
The veteran’s continuity for a few more years undoubtedly comes as great news for the dressing room and the management as his experience is invaluable, especially on the big nights.
It does, however, tighten the pressure around youngsters like Arda Guler hoping to establish their name.
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Real Madrid have endured a mixed start to the season, currently trailing Barcelona by three points at the top of the La Liga table.
Assembling a winning streak, therefore, could be essential as the defending champions look to close the gap at the top.
However, Real Madrid’s task won’t be made by the upcoming run of fixtures, which presents a stern test for Carlo Ancelotti’s men.
Upon their return to training on Tuesday, Los Blancos will prepare for a gruelling schedule that could define their season leading into the final months of 2024.
In the first stretch, Real Madrid will face six challenging opponents across La Liga and the Champions League before the next international break in mid-November.
The team begins with a trip to Vigo to face Celta on Saturday, October 19. Following that, Madrid will host Borussia Dortmund, their opponent from last season’s Champions League final.
The Dortmund game will be followed by the much-awaited El Clasico against Barcelona at Santiago Bernabeu, all within the span of a single week.
The intensity doesn’t drop from there. After the Clasico and European encounters, Real Madrid will travel to Valencia before hosting AC Milan and Osasuna.
Each of these matches will be crucial, not only for Madrid’s standings in La Liga but also in their quest for the Champions League’s top eight places in the league stage.
As the next international break approaches, the fixture congestion continues, with eight matches lined up before the end of the year, including the Intercontinental Cup final in Qatar on December 18.
In the Champions League, Madrid face tricky away ties against Liverpool at Anfield and Atalanta, while their La Liga campaign includes challenging trips to Girona and Rayo Vallecano.
With crucial matches fixed left and right, it is safe to say that the upcoming months could prove to be an acid test for Ancelotti.
Whether or not the Italian will manage to maintain Real Madrid’s winning form, despite limited resources, remains to be seen.
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