Croatia: Playing forever: Luka Modrić

Was that it? The end of the slight genius’ great career? Luka Modrić didn’t want to be tied down. Not after this match, this injustice, this imposition of fate! Not after this draw drama that made the Croatians losers at the last second. Not after this bitter 1-1 equalizer by Mattia Zaccagni in the 98th minute, which allowed defending champions Italy to overtake the Croatians this Monday evening in Leipzig and into second place in Group B of this European Championship 2024. Croatia could only do so with a miracle one of the four best third-placed teams will reach the round of 16.

“Unfortunately, football was cruel today,” complained Luka Modrić after what was possibly his last European Championship game. In unintentional cruelty, the Uefa judges had named him “Player of the Match” because up until that unfortunate 98th minute, the magic foot from Zadar had been able to leave his mark on the game – on the pitch for a long time, after being substituted in the 81st minute . minute then from the bench. Running tirelessly, distributing the ball with enthusiasm and, above all, a goal threat that is untypical of his age: in the 55th minute he hammered a rebound from close range over Gianluigi Donnarumma into the net after Italy’s goalkeeper had parried his penalty the minute before. The celebrated 1-0 win on this mild June evening now makes him the oldest goalscorer in European Championship history. A European Championship goal at 38 years, 289 days – and yet so little reason to be happy.

And now? Was that it? Up in the stands the Tifosi were still singing about the miracle rescue of their favorites, down here in a basement hall of the central stadium the Croatian captain was supposed to explain something – maybe even his resignation? An Italian reporter tried to use flattery to coax words of resignation from the Croatian captain: He, Modric, please never stop playing football! An almost smile appeared at the corner of Modrić’s mouth. He thought. »Thank you for your beautiful words. I would also like to be able to stand on the pitch forever.” But unfortunately that’s not possible. “I know I have to stop at some point,” he sighed, “but it won’t be now!”

Confucian serenity

In fact, on the one hand, there was still a mathematical chance of making it to the round of 16. On the other hand, the midfielder from Madrid clearly loves the game far too much, especially when it goes towards the opponent’s goal: Then he runs and runs, suddenly appearing on the left wing instead of on the right. He throws himself into every ball. Maybe it really isn’t enough for Real Madrid anymore, where his contract is expiring these days; It is unclear who the 1.72 meter man will lace up his football boots for in the future. However, his skills could definitely enrich a number of major clubs, and perhaps also his Confucian calmness: “That’s football. “Sometimes it’s great satisfaction and joy, sometimes it’s terrible,” Modrić mused. Then he scurried off the podium.

Did the drama in Leipzig mean the end of the “golden generation”, which under Modrić was able to become runner-up in the World Cup in 2018 and third in the World Cup in 2022? Will Modrić and Co leave without winning the title? As is well known, Germany has the oldest European Championship squad at 28.5 years old, but when it comes to international matches, Croatia was the clear leader at the start of the tournament with a total of 1,184 appearances by the squad.

Dalić feels disadvantaged

In the end, coach Zlatko Dalić, who has just extended his contract until 2026, knew there was not enough to do with all the class and experience in the squad. “I’ll take all the responsibility on myself if it’s not enough to advance,” he said after the game. As before, he felt he was at a disadvantage as a small nation, this time in terms of added time: “I would like to say that eight minutes today were definitely not justified. There were no interruptions in the game and not that many fouls. It annoys me that Croatia is not respected and recognized. We played for far too long.” He heretically asked whether something like that happened in Portugal or Spain.

The Italians naturally assessed the events in Leipzig completely differently. The defending champions from 2021 struggled through the group phase, and at home, national coach Luciano Spalletti in particular is heavily criticized: the Squadra Azzurra’s game was too dull, too boring, too reserved, the media complained after the arduous 2-1 Albania and the 0:1 against Spain.

Against the Croatians, too, the team played with an offensive defense for long periods, which made things difficult for the Croatians but created far too few chances to score. Only after Modrić’s goal and all sorts of changes was it substitute Mattia Zaccagni who kept Italy in the tournament. The 29-year-old from Lazio Rome completed the very last attack from the left with a shot into the top right corner from twelve meters.

Spalletti lectures and discusses

Italy cheered, and national coach Spalletti later discussed angrily with the Italian reporters at the press conference: he “couldn’t accept” all the criticism of his players. The team definitely has the quality for this tournament: »I’m 65 and have been a coach for a long time. I see that.”

He deliberately had his defense defended against Croatia in a three-man and five-man chain, he lectured. In threes when you had the ball yourself, in fives when the Croatians were approaching: “I wrote my diploma thesis about that at the coaching academy!” In general, he could never work as a journalist and write like that, “full of envy of those there playing football downstairs,” he said during his bizarre appearance. »I am also asked if I am afraid. If I had that, I would go to the stadium like you and watch the games. I can afford the card. But I would also get the ticket for free.«

Now the Italians are returning to Berlin, 18 years after the 2006 World Cup triumph against Zinedine Zidane’s France. The defending champions face Switzerland in the Olympic Stadium on Saturday. The “Gazzetto dello Sport” invoked the tradition in a long article and recalled the 1982 World Cup, when a less than glamorous Italian team won the World Cup in Spain: If you take into account the little that Italy has shown so far, you have to pay attention to this Watch the Switzerland game “with the hope of coming out of it somehow. Even with a goal in the 98th minute when there’s nothing else that can be done.”