Croatia’s Luka Modric exhibits the bronze medal and celebrates on the finish of the World Cup third-place playoff match between Croatia and Morocco. AP
Luka Modric led Croatia to the bronze medal on the World Cup on Saturday and revealed he’ll lengthen his worldwide profession into 2023 in an try and win the Nations League.
The 37-year-old gained 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 and win the Nations League title subsequent June within the four-team finals additionally that includes Netherlands, Italy and Spain.
“That’s the plan,” stated Modric when requested if he intends to maintain taking part in worldwide soccer.
“It could be a nonsense to not play within the Nations League, after which we’ll see the best way 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 workforce 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 instructed broadcaster HRT.
“Ultimately, we return to Croatia as winners. Croatia isn’t 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.”
Despite the fact that Modric intends to maintain taking part in at worldwide degree, coach Zlatko Dalic admits that point is ticking on different senior gamers.
“It’s the tip of a cycle. It’s the final World Cup for some older gamers,” stated the coach with one eye on the qualifying match 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 have now an excellent workforce for the longer term.
“Croatia don’t have anything to worry with this era. 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, delight and pleasure all through our homeland!” learn the Vecernji Listing every day paper on-line version.
‘Lengthy, pleased night time’
“An extended, pleased night time is forward Croatia.”
The nation of fewer than 4 million individuals gained 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 may win 5 medals, however you’ll all the time stay the ‘coach of all coaches’.”
He referred to legendary coach Blazevic, 87, beneath whom Croatia gained bronze in 1998.
37-year-old Luka Modric led Croatia to a 3rd place end on the World Cup taking part in 656 out of a attainable 690 minutes.
Croatia has three top-3 finishes since making their World Cup debut in 1998.
Outstanding for a rustic with a inhabitants of round 4 million.
👏🇭🇷 pic.twitter.com/t38AfxnUCr
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 17, 2022
“Three World Cup medals for our tiny nation is a serious achievement. I’m so proud, effectively completed ‘Fiery Ones’,” stated Marin Lovric, 32, who watched the sport at a Zagreb bar.
On Sunday, the capital will organise on the primary sq. a welcome for the squad, much like 2018 after they returned from Russia.
On the time greater than 550,000 individuals cheered the workforce throughout its parade on an open-top bus from the airport to the primary sq..
For the reason that independence, Zagreb has solely as soon as seen a bigger crowd — for the go to of Pope John Paul II in 1994.
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