AL RAYYAN, Qatar -- Luka Modric has confirmed he will continue playing for Croatia into next year but refused to commit to representing his country at Euro 2024.

The 37-year-old earned his 162nd cap on Saturday as Zlatko Dalic's side beat Morocco 2-1 at Khalifa International Stadium to secure third place at the World Cup finals in Qatar.

That achievement comes four years after reaching the 2018 final and highlights Modric's evergreen quality at the heart of Croatia's midfield.

Dalic believes Modric will play at the 2024 tournament in Germany assuming they qualify but speaking about his future after Saturday's win, the Real Madrid star only stated he will carry on until June's Nations League finals before considering his options.

"This medal is very important for us, for me, for Croatia as a national team, as a country," Modric told beIN SPORTS.

"We confirm with this medal that Croatia is playing an important role in the world of football and we are leaving Qatar as winners.

"About my future? I don't know if I will be [playing] until the Euros in Germany. We will see. I need to go step by step. I am enjoying the national team. I feel happy. I still think I can perform on a high level and I want to continue until at least until the Nations League.

"Then after, there will be more time to think about the Euros. Now it is go step by step and continue at least until Nations League and then we will see."

Croatia will contest the Nations League finals against Italy, Spain and host country the Netherlands with the semifinal draw due to take place on Jan. 25 in Switzerland.

Source:
courtesy of ESPN

by James Olley

If you have any stories or news that you would like to share with the global online community, please feel free to share it with us by contacting us directly at [email protected]