CORNERFLICK
Luka Modrić has reached 200 appearances for Croatia, joining an elite group of international football figures after the 1-0 win over Panama at the 2026 World Cup.
The 40-year-old midfielder is playing at a fifth World Cup and marked the milestone in a tight group-stage match that Croatia had to work hard to win. Panama pushed Croatia close to an upset, but the 2022 semi-finalists held on for three points that left them third in the group.
After the final whistle, Croatia’s players wore shirts reading "200, Endless Legacy" to salute Modrić. He smiled and thanked them, in a reminder of how central he remains to the squad.
Modrić, the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup runner-up in the same year, is one of Croatia’s defining players. Head coach Zlatko Dalić has described him as part of the staff on the pitch.
Modrić now sits alongside names such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Badr Al-Mutawa on the list of men to reach 200 or more international caps.