Luka Modrić Sets World Cup Record as Oldest Player to Register an Assist

At 40 years and 292 days, Croatian midfielder Luka Modrić became the oldest player ever to provide an assist at a World Cup, according to Opta data dating back to 1966. He broke the previous record held by Bosnia‑and‑Herzegovina’s Edin Džeko (40 years 109 days) and the earlier benchmark of Brazil’s Thiago Silva.

The record was set in Croatia’s 2‑1 group‑stage victory over Ghana at the 2026 tournament in Philadelphia. Modrić delivered a corner that Nikola Vlašić headed into the net in the 83rd minute, securing the win and Croatia’s qualification for the knockout round. The team will face the runner‑up of Group K, most likely Colombia or Portugal, in the round of 16.