Croatia captain Luka Modric added another remarkable chapter to his illustrious career during the FIFA World Cup 2026, becoming only the fourth player in men’s international football history to reach 200 appearances for his national team.
The milestone came during Croatia’s crucial 1-0 victory over Panama in a Group L clash, a result that kept the European side’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.
Luka Modric reaches historic 200-cap milestone
Modric’s appearance against Panama marked his 200th match for Croatia, making him the first player from his country to achieve the feat. The veteran midfielder now joins an exclusive group of football legends that includes Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, Argentina superstar Lionel Messi and Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa.
Ronaldo leads the all-time list with 230 international appearances, followed by Al-Mutawa on 202 and Messi on 201. Modric now sits fourth with 200 caps, underlining his extraordinary longevity at the highest level.
Nearly two decades of service for Croatia
The Croatian great made his senior international debut on June 1, 2006, and has remained a central figure for his country ever since.Over the course of his international career, Modric has scored 29 goals and captained Croatia through some of the most successful periods in the nation’s football history. Under his leadership, Croatia reached the FIFA World Cup final in 2018 and followed it up with another deep run by reaching the semi-finals in 2022.
Croatia boost knockout hopes with Panama win
The historic night became even more memorable as Croatia secured their first victory of the FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign. After suffering defeat in their opening group-stage match, Croatia needed a response and got it through Ante Budimir, whose second-half strike proved decisive against Panama.
The narrow win earned Croatia three valuable points and strengthened their chances of progressing to the Round of 32. At 40, Modric continues to perform at the highest level despite approaching two decades in international football.
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