Luka Modrić becomes oldest World Cup assist provider as Croatia beats Ghana

Croatian captain Luka Modrić, age 40, delivered a corner in the 83rd minute of the Group L match against Ghana that Nikola Vlašić headed into the net, securing a 2‑1 victory and a place in the knockout stage. The assist made Modrić the oldest player in World Cup history to record an assist, a statistic kept since 1966. Croatia’s coach Zdravko Dalić praised Modrić’s performance, noting his decisive defensive play in the final minutes to block a Ghana attack.

The same match night also saw Argentina’s Lionel Messi score the winning goal against Jordan, becoming the first player to find the net in seven consecutive World Cups and adding his 19th World Cup goal to his career tally.

Both milestones underscore the historic individual achievements emerging from the tournament’s group phase.