Croatia suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 loss against Portugal in the round of 32 in Toronto on Thursday. This loss could be the last appearance for legendary Luka Modric, who once again shone for his team in the knockout match.

Despite being 40 years old, Modric led his team with 66 touches, made three tackles, and also delivered decent crosses into the box in the second half.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić noted that this was “probably” Modric’s last World Cup appearance, but added, “Only God knows what will happen in the next four years. We’ll see. We’ll talk about it in Croatia.”

“Luka played very well. Once again, he was one of our most important players. I’m very sorry it ended like this for him. He once again showed his character and his quality. He led Croatia until the very end,” Dalić added.

Modric, who was making his fifth appearance at the World Cup, led Croatia to second- and third-place finishes in 2018 and 2022. The veteran started in all four matches in the 2026 World Cup.

“I played with Luka so many years,” Modric’s former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo said. “We’re nearly the same age. I think he’s a legend of football. He’s still a legend of football.”

Portugal’s head coach Roberto Martinez was also all praise for the experienced midfielder, who has been a consistent performer in the last two decades.

“You’re talking about a player that, with the longevity that he has, plays the game like a young man with the capacity to think,” Portugal coach Roberto Martinez said.

“There are not many times when you speak about the thinking part of the game; everything is about the tactics, the technical aspect, the physical aspect. Not many times do we talk about a player who can put the foot on the ball and make a decision. I think Modric is a beautiful example of that. Depending on how the game goes, he finds his pace, and he makes the right call.”

Portugal will face Spain in the round of 16.