Slaven Bilić Makes Luka Modrić Call as Croatia’s 41-Year-Old Captain Begins Another International Chapter

Slaven Bilić has made it clear that Croatia are not ready to move on from Luka Modrić.

The veteran midfielder has been named in Bilić’s first Croatia squad since returning as national-team head coach, ending speculation that the 41-year-old could bring his international career to a close following the 2026 World Cup.

Modrić, who now plays for AC Milan after leaving Real Madrid, has confirmed his availability for Croatia and is set to continue wearing the famous red-and-white shirt into another Nations League campaign.

For Bilić, the decision goes beyond simply selecting an experienced midfielder.

He believes Modrić still offers something that cannot easily be replaced.

And with Croatia preparing for a demanding Nations League schedule featuring matches against Czechia, Spain and England, the presence of their legendary captain could once again prove crucial.

Bilić refuses to close the door on Modrić

There had been genuine uncertainty surrounding Modrić's international future after Croatia's World Cup campaign.

At 40, with his 41st birthday arriving on September 9, the possibility of retirement was increasingly natural to consider.

Instead, Modrić has chosen another chapter.

The Croatian Football Federation confirmed that the midfielder had informed Bilić and federation president Marijan Kustić of his willingness to continue with the national team.

Bilić, who has returned for a second spell in charge, welcomed the decision enthusiastically.

The manager knows precisely what Modrić can provide, both during matches and away from the pitch.

“Luka's decision makes me extremely happy,” Bilić said, stressing that everyone within Croatian football understands what the captain brings to the national team.

That assessment is particularly significant because Bilić is beginning another era with Croatia.

Rather than immediately turning the page on the country's golden generation, he has decided that Modrić still has a role in shaping what comes next.

The numbers make the decision remarkable

Modrić's longevity has become one of the defining stories of modern international football.

He made his Croatia debut in 2006 and has remained a central figure through some of the biggest moments in the country's history.

He helped Croatia reach the 2018 World Cup final, played a major role in their subsequent international campaigns and became the most recognisable figure of the country's modern football era.

His continued involvement has now taken him beyond the 200-cap barrier.

When Croatia face Czechia on September 26, Modrić is expected to earn his 203rd international appearance.

That is an extraordinary number for any footballer.

For a midfielder who has spent two decades operating at the highest level, it also explains why Bilić sees value in keeping him around.

The manager is not simply retaining a famous name.

He is retaining a player who understands the demands of elite international football better than almost anyone in the squad.

AC Milan move has not slowed the veteran down

Modrić's decision is also notable because his club career has entered a completely different phase.

After 13 years at Real Madrid, where he established himself as one of the most decorated midfielders of his generation, he moved to AC Milan in 2025.

Rather than treating the move as the beginning of a retirement phase, Modrić has continued competing at the highest level.

He signed up for another season with Milan in July, meaning his club and international careers will continue alongside each other.

The midfielder has also spoken about his desire to remain useful rather than simply continue playing because of his reputation.

That distinction could become important for Croatia.

Bilić will ultimately have to manage Modrić's minutes carefully. At 41, the midfielder cannot reasonably be expected to carry the same physical workload he did a decade ago.

But football at the highest level is not determined solely by running statistics.

Modrić's passing range, awareness, composure and ability to control the rhythm of a match remain valuable weapons.

Spain and England provide the perfect test

Croatia's Nations League schedule will quickly demonstrate whether Bilić's decision can translate into results.

The team will face Czechia on September 26 before taking on Spain and England, with Spain appearing twice in the opening sequence of fixtures.

Those matches are exactly the kind of encounters in which experience can become decisive.

Against elite opponents, Croatia will need players capable of recognising danger before it develops, resisting pressure and making the correct decision when possession is contested.

That has been Modrić's speciality throughout his career.

His influence may therefore become less about dominating an entire 90 minutes and more about determining the moments that matter.

Bilić also has an opportunity to use Modrić as a bridge between generations.

Croatia cannot depend on the same core of players forever.

But removing the country's greatest modern footballer overnight would create a significant leadership vacuum.

Keeping him involved allows younger players to develop around one of the most experienced midfielders in world football.

Another chapter for Croatia's greatest modern footballer

There is also something symbolic about Modrić continuing.

Croatia's rise to international prominence was built on players such as Zvonimir Boban, Davor Šuker and Robert Prosinečki.

Modrić belongs in that conversation, but his longevity has given him an opportunity to define an entire era.

He captained Croatia through a World Cup final appearance, helped establish the country as a consistent force on the international stage and won the 2018 Ballon d'Or.

Now, at an age when most elite footballers have long since retired, he is preparing for another competitive international campaign.

Bilić's return makes the story even more interesting.

The Croatian manager previously worked with Modrić early in his international career. More than a decade later, the pair will now attempt to guide a changing Croatia through another difficult period.

Bilić is not pretending that time has stopped.

Instead, he appears to be betting that Modrić's football intelligence, leadership and experience remain too valuable to discard.

And for now, Croatia's captain agrees.

The Modrić era is not over yet.

Fan Debate

⚽ GOAL: Modrić still has enough quality to decide big international matches.

🔥 FIRE: Croatia are right to keep their legendary captain for another Nations League campaign.

😮 SHOCK: Modrić is still playing international football at 41.

❤️ LIKE: One more chapter for one of the greatest midfielders of his generation.

💬 COMMENT: Should Luka Modrić be targeting Euro 2028 with Croatia, or should this be his final international chapter?