Valdano hails Modrić after Portugal ends Croatia's World Cup run

Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Croatia in Toronto ended Luka Modrić’s World Cup at the round-of-32 stage and sent Roberto Martínez’s side into the round of 16 after a finish that turned on a VAR offside call in stoppage time. Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring, Ivan Perišić answered for Croatia, and Gonçalo Ramos delivered the decisive goal in a match that was described as dramatic, epic and high in tension.

The final minutes carried the symbolic weight of Croatia’s exit. A late Croatian equalizer was ruled out for offside after video review, closing the door on a comeback and sealing the end of a tournament in which Modrić, at 39, had been framed as one of the defining figures of the side. FIFA had placed him at the center of Croatia’s plan before the tournament, alongside Perišić, and had portrayed him as the veteran still capable of driving the team on the game’s biggest stage.

Jorge Valdano used the result to underline what Modrić has represented over the last decade and more. He said the match was one of the best of the tournament and argued that Modrić’s quality made him one of the best footballers of his generation. In the same broader assessment, Valdano also said Spain had returned to being a dominant team, a sign of how this World Cup is being shaped by squads with fresh energy and deeper legs.

For Croatia, the loss closed another chapter in an era built around experienced leaders who had already taken the country to the brink of the trophy. Croatia finished runner-up in 2018 and third in 2022, and Modrić had already become one of the most decorated players in the world game through his club career with Real Madrid, where he won six Champions Leagues and four league titles.

Portugal’s progression came with a different kind of message. Ronaldo remains central, but Ramos’ winner and the pace of Portugal’s attack reflected a side that is not waiting for its veterans alone. Croatia, by contrast, left Toronto with a team still admired for its pedigree, but one that is now confronting the end of a cycle built around Modrić’s brilliance.