Modric And Croatia Ready To Defy The Odds Again At World Cup 2026

Luka Modric will captain Croatia against England on Wednesday evening, leading his nation into their 2026 World Cup opener at the age of 40.

The Real Madrid legend has won six Champions League titles and a Ballon d’Or since his early days as a slight teenage midfielder at Dinamo Zagreb.

His journey from war-displaced child to national icon is a story that perfectly captures Croatia’s enduring ability to punch above their weight on the world stage.

Romeo Jozak, a key figure in Croatian football development, remembers a young Modric who was far more concerned with his flowing hair than with his future superstar status.

“I was freaking out,” Jozak smiles. “Of course, I didn’t know he was going to become the Luka Modric down the road.”

The hair became a point of contention between coach and player, with Jozak eventually winning out over the style-conscious teenager during their time together at Dinamo.

“He did say ‘do you know you and the army are the only ones that cut my hair’,” says Jozak. “There’s a respect and I feel it whenever we see each other, even though he’s now the superstar.”

Modric’s childhood was shaped by the devastating conflict that followed Croatia’s declaration of independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, a war that ran until 1995.

He was just six years old when his grandfather, also named Luka, was killed by Serbian forces near the family home close to the Velebit mountains, where the young boy would herd goats.

The family home was burned down and Modric’s father went to war, forcing the family to relocate to Zadar as refugees, living in hotels where football provided some escape for displaced children.

Croatia were admitted to FIFA in 1992 and UEFA in 1993, and a golden generation featuring Zvonimir Boban, Davor Suker and Robert Prosinecki reached the quarter-finals at Euro 96 before finishing third at the 1998 World Cup in France, beating Germany and the Netherlands.

Jozak believes the experience of conflict shaped something deep within Croatian players, fuelling a national pride that continues to drive each successive generation.

“Some had relatives killed in the war and those things stay inside of you,” says Jozak. “You take it out of your genes and use it when you need it the most.”

Jozak held multiple roles at Dinamo Zagreb, progressing from youth coach to academy director and eventually to technical director of the Croatian Football Federation between 2013 and 2017.

He helped transform Dinamo into one of Europe’s most productive talent factories, creating an environment of intense internal competition that pushed every young player to constantly improve.

“Internal quality is one of the crucial components in the coaching process that you cannot artificially create,” explains Jozak. “There’s this little lion next to me. He wants to make it as well.”

Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol came through that system, spending his formative years playing in midfield and as a number ten, which Jozak credits for developing his exceptional technical ability.

“That’s why he’s got this left foot,” smiles Jozak. “He was playing midfield. He was talented, growing in the density of the internal quality. He has a super technique. Then later he grew to be tall and fast.”

Almost half of Croatia’s current World Cup squad has passed through Dinamo Zagreb, and 18 of the 26-man group now play for clubs in England, Spain, Italy and Germany.

The youngest member of the squad is 19-year-old Tottenham centre-back Luka Vuskovic, who was not even born when Modric made his senior Croatia debut and who Jozak believes has a bright future ahead of him.

Head coach Zlatko Dalic, appointed in 2017, has guided Croatia to a World Cup final and a third-place finish in his two tournaments, and Jozak holds him in the highest regard.

“He understands the social, emotional relationships and the people. He’s compassionate. He’s a knowledgeable coach and super talented,” says Jozak.

With Modric still leading from the front at 40, Croatia prepare to face England carrying the weight of history, expectation, and a nation of fewer than four million people believing in them once again.

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