England face Croatia and veteran Luka Modric in World Cup group clash
England will renew their fierce rivalry with Croatia later this week as Thomas Tuchel’s side face a familiar threat in 40-year-old veteran Luka Modric during the World Cup group stages.
The legendary midfielder was already in the twilight of his career when he helped orchestrate a devastating semi-final defeat against Gareth Southgate’s team in Russia eight years ago.
Now 40, the former Real Madrid and Tottenham playmaker remains the heartbeat of his national side two decades after making his international debut.
He recently earned his 198th cap during a 2-1 warm-up victory over Slovenia and is poised to break the 200-appearance barrier during this tournament.
A familiar foe for the Three Lions
Encounters between these two nations often carry an extra edge.
The 2018 semi-final was famously fuelled by perceived English arrogance regarding their tournament prospects.
Football’s not coming home!
That was the mocking declaration from current assistant coach Vedran Corluka to the assembled media after that fateful match.
The Three Lions have since claimed victories against the Balkan nation at both Euro 2020 and in the Nations League.
However, the winner of this upcoming fixture will immediately become the overwhelming favourite to top their group.
Tuchel prepares for crucial encounter
New manager Thomas Tuchel has dismissed suggestions that his squad were handed an easy pathway through the competition.
The German coach correctly noted that statistically, his team received the toughest possible draw based on FIFA rankings.
Despite their formidable reputation, the current iteration of the Croatian team is arguably weaker than the squad that reached the 2018 final.
Relying on an ageing golden generation
A failure to seamlessly replace their veteran stars means the national team continues to lean heavily on experienced campaigners.
Their ageing core includes Mateo Kovacic, Ivan Perisic and Andrej Kramaric, who are all deep into their thirties.
Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol remains the notable exception, having emerged as a global star during their run to the semi-finals in Qatar four years ago.
Yet the spotlight inevitably returns to their talismanic captain.
Following a season featuring 47 appearances for AC Milan, the veteran maestro remains in remarkable physical condition and is ready to frustrate English ambitions once again.
