Croatian captain and maestro Luka Modrić entered football history through its widest door after registering his 200th international appearance in the colours of his national team during their match against Panama at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. With this achievement, the 40-year-old veteran became only the fourth player in the history of men's football to reach his second international century, joining Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Kuwaiti star Bader Al Mutawa.
Modrić marshalled the Croatian midfield with his customary composure for 81 minutes, despite significant physical demands and pressure. The captain's historic evening was crowned with a hard-earned Croatian victory by a score of 1-0, courtesy of a goal from substitute Ante Budimir — a win that corrected Croatia's course in the group stage following a stumble in their opening match and renewed their World Cup hopes.
After the final whistle, the pitch and stands of Toronto's stadium were transformed into a grand celebration, ignited by the thousands of Croatian fans who had converged on the venue. Amid waves of warm applause and chants of affection for the great star, Modrić received a special commemorative shirt bearing the number "200" on the back, which he proudly displayed to the stands, posing for photographs alongside his national team teammates, who took care to lift him and salute him in recognition of a career stretching back to 2006.