Luka Modrić Turns 41 as Serbian Media Praise Croatia's Veteran Star

A Serbian sports portal highlighted the contrast between Croatia’s continued reliance on veteran players and Serbia’s tendency to retire them early. The article noted that Luka Modrić, soon to celebrate his 41st birthday, still captains the Croatian national team and has amassed a record of club and international honours, including a World Cup final and the Ballon d'Or. It also praised fellow Croatian veteran Ivan Perišić, now 37, for remaining available for selection and for his recent performance against Portugal.

The Serbian commentary suggested that Croatia’s approach to older players—valuing experience and maintaining them in the squad—should be a model for Serbia, which it claims often forces players like Nemanja Vidić, Nemanja Matić and Dušan Tadić into early retirement.