Real Madrid have already said a number of goodbyes in the last week, and later in the summer, they will say another – but not to someone at the club, but rather, one of their greatest ever midfielders.
Dani Carvajal, David Alaba and Alvaro Arbeloa all made their final bows at the Bernabeu during last weekend’s victory over Athletic Club, with Real Madrid choosing against renewing all of the trio’s respective contracts. They will seek pastures new in the summer, which is exactly what Luka Modric, who is a former teammate of all three, did in 2025.
Modric left Real Madrid at the end of the 2024-25 season to join Milan, but despite impressing in his first season in Italy, he has decided that it will also be his last as a professional footballer. According to Nicolo Schira (via Diario AS), the 40-year-old midfielder plans to announce his retirement after the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
Modric will play at the tournament for Croatia, but it will be the final act of a glittering career. In total, he has made well over 850 club appearances across the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid and Milan, while he has also racked up 196 caps for his country – and he should surpass 200 at the World Cup.
According to the aforementioned report, Modric would have considered another year in football if Milan had qualified for next season’s Champions League, but they fell short after losing at home to Cagliari last weekend. That failure made up his mind, and he will now go out on the biggest stage.
Real Madrid, who regretted letting Modric leave last summer, are sure to honour Modric when he does hang up his boots. He made 597 appearances for the Bernabeu club over a 13-year spell, and he also picked up 28 trophies during that time.
