Luka Modric led Croatia to the bronze medal on the World Cup on Saturday and revealed he’ll prolong his worldwide profession into 2023 in an try to win the Nations League. The 37-year-old received his 162nd cap within the 2-1 win over Morocco, 4 years after serving to his nation to the World Cup runners-up spot behind France. Croatia will now try to win the Nations League title subsequent June within the four-team finals additionally that includes Netherlands, Italy and Spain.
“That is the plan,” mentioned Modric when requested if he intends to maintain enjoying worldwide soccer.
“It might be a nonsense to not play within the Nations League, after which we’ll see easy methods to proceed. I positively need to keep for the Nations League.”
Croatia had been defeated by a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina within the World Cup semi-finals however Modric insisted that his staff have cemented a spot amongst the heavyweights of the game.
“We achieved one thing main for the Croatian soccer. We needed the gold, we had been shut,” he informed broadcaster HRT.
“In the long run, we return to Croatia as winners. Croatia shouldn’t be a miracle that seems each 20 years. We proved that we’re fixed, that we can’t be seen as darkish horses however as a soccer energy.”
Though Modric intends to maintain enjoying at worldwide stage, coach Zlatko Dalic admits that point is ticking on different senior gamers.
“It is the top of a cycle. It is the final World Cup for some older gamers,” mentioned the coach with one eye on the qualifying event for Euro 2024 which kicks off in March.
“However we now have superb younger gamers who give hope, (Josip) Stanisic, (Mislav) Orsic, many gamers who’re on the bench. We’ve got an excellent staff for the longer term.
“Croatia don’t have anything to worry with this technology. What awaits us is the League of Nations, and the {qualifications} of the Euro.”
In the meantime, fireworks lit the sky above the Croatian capital of Zagreb and plenty of different cities within the nation that joyfully celebrated the win within the third-place play-off.
“Croatia is on hearth! Tears, songs, satisfaction and pleasure all through our homeland!” learn the Vecernji Record each day paper on-line version.
Lengthy, comfortable night time’
“An extended, comfortable night time is forward Croatia.”
The nation of fewer than 4 million individuals received their third World Cup medal since independence in 1991. In France 1998, Croatia had been third and on the 2018 World Cup in Russia they reached the ultimate.
Dalic added that he would “dedicate victory to a person who began all this”.
“To (Miroslav) Ciro Blazevic. ‘Boss’ that is for you! I might win 5 medals, however you’ll at all times stay the ‘coach of all coaches’.”
He referred to legendary coach Blazevic, 87, below whom Croatia received bronze in 1998.
“Three World Cup medals for our tiny nation is a serious achievement. I am so proud, effectively completed ‘Fiery Ones’,” mentioned Marin Lovric, 32, who watched the sport at a Zagreb bar.
On Sunday, the capital will organise on the essential sq. a welcome for the squad, just like 2018 once they returned from Russia.
On the time greater than 550,000 individuals cheered the staff throughout its parade on an open-top bus from the airport to the primary sq..
Because the independence, Zagreb has solely as soon as seen a bigger crowd — for the go to of Pope John Paul II in 1994.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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