Croatia’s Luka Modric.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

A standing ovation, a man-of-the-match award and a record.

But Croatia star Luka Modric was in no mood to celebrate, regardless of the accolades, after what could have been his last appearance at a major tournament.

Modric scored against Italy on June 24 to become the oldest goal-scorer ever at a European Championship.

Ultimately it wasn’t enough to ensure his team stays in the competition. Mattia Zaccagni scored in the eighth minute of stoppage time for Italy to draw 1-1 and advance to the knockout stage.

Croatia needs an improbable series of other results going its way to remain at Euro 2024.

Modric, who is 38 years and 289 days old, claimed the opening goal on a rebound in the 55th minute, within a minute of having a penalty saved by Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The previous record was held by Ivica Vastic, who was 38 years, 257 days old when he scored for Austria against Poland at Euro 2008.

Modric received standing ovations from fans when he went off in the 80th, and he was applauded again when he showed up for the post-game news conference.

One Italian journalist started by telling Modric he was one of the most magnificent players he had ever seen. He said he had no question to ask, just a request for him never to retire from playing.

Modric seemed genuinely moved by the kind words.

“I’d also like to keep playing forever but there probably will come a time when I’ll have to hang up my boots,” he replied. “I’ll keep playing. I’ll continue, so I’m not sure when, we’ll see.” Modric earlier this month extended his contract by another year at Real Madrid, where he has amassed an impressive haul of trophies since joining from Tottenham in 2012, including another Champions League and Spanish league title last season.

Modric has played 178 games for Croatia since making his debut at age 20 under Zlatko Kranjcar in 2006. The 2018 Ballon d’Or winner is playing in his fifth European Championship. His goal against Italy took his tally to four goals in 16 games at the tournament.

But Modric has enjoyed greater success with the national team at the World Cup, leading Croatia to the final in 2018, and third place in 2022.

The draw against Italy on Monday, and the manner in which it came with the last kick of the game, means Croatia is almost certain to be eliminated in the next days.

“It was very stressful. We kept fighting like lions right to the end. But football is cruel,” Modric said. “That’s part and parcel of football. Sometimes it brings a lot of happiness, but sometimes it makes you very sad as well.

“Losing like this is very difficult. It’s hard to find words to describe how my teammates and probably the fans feel as well. Of course, we need to bounce back.” Modric, who is the team captain, took comfort from the performance.

“We gave everything for Croatia, and this is how Croatia presents itself, regardless of the cruelty of this result. We deserved more, but it’s football,” he said. “We can be proud of how we represented Croatia.”

Group B was dubbed Euro 2024’s ‘Group of Death’ but while Spain soared through with a game to spare, heavyweights Italy and Croatia meet on June 24 fighting to stay in the competition.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Group B was dubbed Euro 2024’s ‘Group of Death’ but while Spain soared through with a game to spare, heavyweights Italy and Croatia meet on June 24 fighting to stay in the competition.

Both sides were outclassed by Spain, and while reigning champions Italy edged Albania 2-1, Croatia could only draw 2-2 with the minnows.

It gives Italy the upper hand ahead of their clash in Leipzig, with Croatia’s golden generation at risk of a disappointingly early exit if they fail to win.

Croatia, who reached the 2018 and 2022 World Cup final and semi-final respectively, may make several changes as they scrap for Euros survival.

Midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, playing in Saudi Arabia, has come in for criticism after sub-par outings in the first two matches, while Real Madrid’s Luka Modric, 38, has also struggled.

Full-back Ivan Perisic has looked a shadow of himself, still to find his footing after a long injury lay-off.

“It makes me cry when I watch (Modric) on the pitch, he is giving his last atoms of strength… but he is not (the Modric) we are used to seeing,” read one column in Croatian newspaper Jutarnji List.

Youngster Luka Sucic could replace Brozovic, as he did at half-time against Albania.

Striker Bruno Petkovic, who missed a penalty in the 3-0 beating by Spain, called on Croatia to deliver for their vast support in Germany.

“The responsibility is on us, we owe it to our fans to show more,” he said.

“I expect us to beat Italy, and I hope it’s going to happen. We are aware of everything we did or didn’t do in the first two matches, and we need to fix that.”

Coach Zlatko Dalic complained ahead of the game he was not being given credit when Croatia did well but was immediately criticised when they struggle.

“I have learned some things in these seven years where there have been far more successes than failures,” he said.

Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic was positive ahead of the clash with the Euro 2020 winners.

“We control our own fate — that’s a good thing,” said the stopper, who shone at the Qatar World Cup, saving a penalty in a shoot-out against Brazil to take Croatia to the semis.

‘Little Italy’

Italy need a draw against Croatia to claim second place but after being thoroughly outplayed in their 1-0 loss to Spain, expectations are not high for the Azzurri.

Newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport labelled them “Little Italy”, a far cry from the steely team which beat England at Wembley.

Veteran defenders Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini have since retired, while coach Luciano Spalletti left out Marco Verratti, now playing in Qatar.

The coach could also ring the changes with striker Mateo Retegui in contention, along with defender Matteo Darmian, who could replace Giovanni Di Lorenzo after a torturous night against Spain’s Nico Williams.

Even Italy’s opening victory over Albania was not without its challenges — Sassuolo’s Nedim Bajrami put Albania ahead with the fastest goal Euros history on 23 seconds.

Italian goalkeeping great and the current delegation head, Gianluigi Buffon, said he was confident the Azzurri could use the loss as fuel.

“Sometimes it’s easier to react to a defeat than it is to a win,” said Buffon on Friday.

“Yesterday we got some answers to questions we’d asked of ourselves, and some new questions to think about.

“So if we thought we were a nine out of ten team against Albania, we can’t suddenly think we’re a four out of ten team after the Spain match. We’re probably somewhere in the middle.”

This combination of pictures created on June 22, 2024 shows Italy’s head coach Luciano Spalletti and Croatia’s head coach Zlatko Dalic.
| Photo Credit: AFP

With wounds to dress and points to prove, Italy and Croatia face each other knowing their Euro 2024 survival is on the line in Monday’s decisive Group B match.

Italy’s chastening 1-0 defeat by a dominant Spain on Thursday and Croatia’s 2-2 draw with Albania after conceding a stoppage-time equaliser left both teams anxiously glancing at the table heading into their last game.

Italy, second with three points after their opening win over Albania, will be through to the last 16 as runners-up if they avoid defeat. They will be unable to progress, however, if they lose and Albania beat group winners Spain in the other Group B decider.

The situation is more pressing for Zlatko Dalic’s Croatia, who began the tournament with a thumping 3-0 loss to Spain and prop up the table with a point. They will go through as runners-up if they beat Italy and Albania do not beat Spain.

A draw, however, is unlikely to be good enough as no team have made the next round with two points since the Euro finals expanded to 24 teams in 2016 — offering a place in the last 16 to the four best third-placed finishers.

Italy’s loss to Spain prompted damning headlines and national soul searching.

La Gazzetta dello Sport denounced Luciano Spalletti’s side as “Little Italy” while Corriere dello Sport demanded a “Reset”.

The loss was by a slender margin but it should have been far more emphatic as Spain’s 20 attempts on goal contrasted with Italy’s four, their fewest in a Euro or World Cup match since at least 1980.

Spalletti said his players lacked freshness, and wondered whether they needed more rest after Spain’s relentless attacks left them chasing shadows for most of the 90 minutes.

Croatia’s struggles have come as a surprise to coach Dalic, whose side reached the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar two years ago and the final in 2018.

“We didn’t expect to have such a difficult story in these two matches, it has been a struggle,” he said after their draw with Albania.

A major issue for Croatia has been their sleepy starts to games. They conceded three goals to Spain in the first half and fell behind to Albania with 11 minutes on the clock.

While their technical ability is not in question, having bossed possession against both Spain and Albania, they have seemed flat in the final third and been unable to build sustained pressure.

With midfield conjuror Luka Modric, now 38, converted full back Ivan Perisic, 35, and forward Andrej Kramaric, 33, Dalic has kept faith with the old guard that has served him so well in the past.

Yet this could be one tournament too far for a side who have frequently surpassed expectations.

“The World Cup was two years ago and slowly our players are getting older, and this whole tournament has shown us that everyone is having a hard time,” Dalic said.