DOHA: Luka Modric led Croatia to the bronze medal at the World Cup on Saturday and revealed he will extend his international career into 2023 in an attempt to win the Nations League.
The 37-year-old won his 162nd cap in the 2-1 win over Morocco, four years after helping his country to the World Cup runners-up spot behind France.
Croatia will now attempt to win the Nations League title next June in the four-team finals also featuring Netherlands, Italy and Spain.
“That’s the plan,” said Modric when asked if he intends to keep playing international football.
“It would be a nonsense not to play in the Nations League, and then we’ll see how to proceed. I definitely want to stay for the Nations League.”
Croatia were defeated by a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina in the World Cup semifinals but Modric insisted that his team have cemented a place among the heavyweights of the sport.
“We achieved something major for the Croatian football. We wanted the gold, we were close,” he told broadcaster HRT.
“In the end, we return to Croatia as winners. Croatia is not a miracle that appears every 20 years. We proved that we are constant, that we cannot be seen as dark horses but as a football power.”
Modric, 37, sets sights on Nations League title for Croatia
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Modric, 37, sets sights on Nations League title for Croatia
- The 37-year-old won his 162nd cap in the 2-1 win over Morocco
- Croatia will now attempt to win the Nations League title next June
Scotland shake up team for Six Nations opener
- Kinghorn is replaced by Tom Jordan at fullback for their opening match of the tournament
- Townsend selected Jamie Dobie, who also plays at scrum-half, and Kyle Steyn on the wings instead
EDINBURGH: Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has shaken up his starting line-up to take on Italy in the Six Nations in Rome on Saturday, leaving out regular fullback Blair Kinghorn and their two top try scorers when he named the team on Thursday.
Kinghorn is replaced by Tom Jordan at fullback for their opening match of the tournament, while Darcy Graham was relegated to the bench and Duhan van der Merwe left out.
Van der Merwe has a record 35 tries for Scotland, with Graham one behind him, but Townsend selected Jamie Dobie, who also plays at scrum-half, and Kyle Steyn on the wings instead. Left wing Dobie gets his first Six Nations start.
“Blair, Duhan and Darcy have had some terrific games for us and they’re very proud of playing for Scotland,” Townsend said at a press conference.
“But there’s competition in that back-three area like there is in other positions and we feel Jamie, Kyle and Tom deserve their starts given how well they’ve been playing.
Townsend praised the three who were dropped as “quality players.”
“If or when they get back into the squad or they get an opportunity off the bench, like Darcy will on Saturday, we know we’re going to have hungry players desperate to get back in the starting team,” the Scotland coach added.
“But for now, we’re really pleased with that back three, how they’ve been playing but also how they’ve been combining in training.”
The injured trio of Ewan Ashman, Jack Dempsey, and Jamie Dobie have all recovered in time to make the line-up after being injury doubts last weekend.
Huw Jones, who played for the British & Irish Lions in Australia last year, is returning to the Scotland set-up after missing the November tests as he recovered from surgery on his Achilles tendon. He will partner captain Sione Tuipulotu in what will be the 18th test match the pair have played together, including for the Lions.
There is also a return for prop forward Zander Fagerson while Scott Cummings, who missed last year’s championship through injury, returns to Six Nations action alongside Grant Gilchrist in the second row.
Nine of the players in the starting line-up come from Glasgow Warriors with another five on the bench, reflecting the stellar season Scotland’s top team are having.
Team: 15-Tom Jordan, 14-Kyle Steyn, 13-Huw Jones, 12-Sione Tuipulotu (captain), 11-Jamie Dobie, 10-Finn Russell, 9-Ben White, 8-Jack Dempsey, 7-Rory Darge, 6-Matt Fagerson, 5-Grant Gilchrist, 4-Scott Cummings, 3-Zander Fagerson, 2-Ewan Ashman, 1-Pierre Schoeman
Replacements: 16-George Turner, 17-Nathan McBeth, 18-Elliot Millar Mills, 19-Max Williamson, 20-Gregor Brown, 21-George Horne, 22-Adam Hastings, 23-Darcy Graham.
