After 13 years, 597 games, and 28 championships, the 39-year-old Croat has played his final Real Madrid match. Even if Wednesday’s crushing defeat by Paris St-Germain in the Club World Cup semifinal was an incredible conclusion, Modric’s tenure with the Spanish powerhouses will live on in memory.
It was a sad ending for him, but Real Madrid will always remember him as a football great, according to manager Xabi Alonso. Since moving to Real Madrid from Spurs in 2012, the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner has won six Champions Leagues and four domestic championships.
“Now is the time. I never wanted to come, but that’s football, and everything in life has a beginning and an end,” Modric wrote on Instagram following the news of his departure.
End of an era
Modric departed Real Madrid as its most decorated player with 597 games, 43 goals, and 95 assists, despite the fact that he has mostly played as a substitute this season. Following the announcement of Modric’s departure in June, club president Florentino Perez declared, “Modric will always remain in the hearts of all Madridistas as a unique and exemplary footballer who has always embodied the values of Real Madrid.””His football has caught the interest of Madrid supporters worldwide. His influence will last forever.”
In his final season, Modric led Real Madrid to two trophies, surpassing Nacho Fernandez as the team’s most successful player with a total of 28 titles.
Modric became the first player outside of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to win the Ballon d’Or since 2007 after leading Real Madrid to the World Cup final and a Champions League victory over Liverpool in 2018.
At 39 years and 116 days, he scored in a 2-1 victory over Valencia, surpassing Ferenc Puskas’ record as the team’s oldest goal scorer and the oldest player to play for Los Blancos in La Liga. After Koke of Atletico Madrid and Oscar de Marcos of Athletic Club, Modric was the third-longest-serving player for a Spanish first division team.
The Croatian icon joined Swansea City, a Championship team, as an “investor and co-owner” in April.
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