On his 39th birthday, Croatia defeated Poland 1-0 in the UEFA Nations League thanks to a goal from veteran midfielder Luka Modric.

Luka Modric, the star of Real Madrid and Croatia, proved that age is just a number during a pivotal game for his team in the UEFA Nations League 2024–25. 39-year-old Modric scored the game-winning goal to help Croatia win 1-0 against Poland at home in Osijek.Days had gone by since Croatia’s 2-1 loss to Portugal in the first round. Apart from being the captain and netting goals, Modric was also the undisputed Man of the Match winner.Modric scored the only goal of the match in the 52nd minute with an incredible free kick from the edge of the penalty box. When his shot went over the defensive wall and into the top corner, the Polish custodian had little chance of saving it.Luka Modric used a free kick to score the game’s lone goal.In addition, Modric achieved a noteworthy career milestone in this game by earning his 180th Croatian cap. His accomplishment made him the second-most-capped player in European history, second only to Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 214 caps for Portugal.

For Croatia to succeed in the Nations League, they must win. The Balkan team needed a win to maintain their aspirations of going farther in the tournament after losing to Portugal in their opening game. Croatia is now second in their group, only behind Portugal, with three points.Modric’s performance demonstrated his value to the Croatian team once more. Even though he is older now, his skill, vision, and experience are still essential components of the team’s playing style. Modric is crucial to the team’s perseverance and leadership of the younger players, as Coach Zlatko Dalic has often noted.Against Croatia, Poland did not have many meaningful opportunities.

This game will help Modric go closer to his objective of going to the 2026 World Cup. The 39-year-old midfielder has said in the past that he needs to play at Real Madrid’s best level and keep up a consistent game if he wants to represent his country at the world’s largest tournament four times in his career.Modric is still a valuable player for Real Madrid even though he isn’t the team’s first choice starter anymore. The club’s confidence in his leadership and contribution on the pitch was demonstrated by his nomination as captain and one-year contract extension last summer.On September 9, the captain of Real Madrid and the Croatian national team celebrates his official 39th birthday.The visitors made a lot of effort in the contest, particularly Robert Lewandowski, the striker. But the crossbar kept Poland from drawing level, allowing Croatia to hang on for a narrow win.Modric still has a lot of objectives in front of him at 39. The midfielder’s aims are to lead Croatia to major competitions, contribute to Real Madrid going forward, and possibly win another World Cup. There is no reason to doubt Luka Modric’s ability to perform miracles in the future given his current shape and spirit.