As Croatia gears up for the upcoming World Cup, the nation’s football aficionados hold their breath regarding the fitness of star player Luka Modric following an alarming injury. Croatia’s head coach, Zlatko Dalic, remains optimistic that the veteran midfielder will be fit in time for the tournament this summer.
Modric sustained a “complex, multi-fragment fracture of the left zygomatic bone” during a head collision with Juventus’ Manuel Locatelli on Sunday, as announced by AC Milan. Despite surgery being successfully completed, the 40-year-old will miss the remainder of the Serie A season.
Since his transfer from Real Madrid last summer, Modric has had a significant impact at Milan, featuring in 36 matches, scoring twice, and providing three assists. However, concerns linger about his participation in what would be his fifth World Cup.
Having made 19 World Cup appearances since 2006, Modric led Croatia to remarkable finishes, securing third place in 2022 and finishing as runners-up in 2018, where all three of his goal contributions (two goals and one assist) were recorded.
While AC Milan has yet to confirm Modric’s World Cup availability, Dalic is reassuring fans: “I’ve been talking to Luka and wished him a successful surgery and a quality and speedy recovery,” he stated. “I am convinced that he will do everything to be ready for the World Cup, and we’ll provide full support.”
Last Friday, Luka Modrić received his Croatian Football of the Year award from the Croatian FA! A huge honour and we are so proud of him @HNS_CFF pic.twitter.com/7eh91yzAoT
— AC Milan (@acmilan) April 20, 2026
Croatia is set to open their World Cup campaign against England on June 17, with Panama and Ghana also in Group L of the tournament, which will take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
