Real Madrid legend, Luka Modric, made history on Saturday by breaking a record that had stood for an impressive 58 years during the team’s 2-1 La Liga victory over Celta Vigo.
At 39 years and 40 days old, Modric became the oldest player ever to feature for the iconic club, surpassing the previous record held by Ferenc Puskas, who last played for Los Blancos in 1966.
Modric, who signed a new deal to remain at the club for another season over the summer, has not been a regular starter under manager Carlo Ancelotti, primarily due to the emergence of younger talents like Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, and Jude Bellingham.
Despite this, he capitalized on the absences of fellow midfielders earlier in the season, starting four out of Real Madrid’s five La Liga matches before the international break and contributing an assist during their 2-0 win over Villarreal.
During the match against Celta Vigo, Modric began on the bench, but his experience proved invaluable when he was introduced after Celta had equalized through Williot Swedberg, following Kylian Mbappe’s opener in the 20th minute.
Just three minutes after coming on, Modric delivered a crucial assist to Vinicius Junior, who scored the winning goal, highlighting the Croatian’s enduring quality on the pitch.
This appearance not only marked a significant personal achievement for Modric but also brought him to a remarkable milestone of 250 victories in Spain’s top flight with Real Madrid.
The team’s narrow win against Celta Vigo allowed them to level on points with league leaders Barcelona, who were set to face Sevilla on Sunday.
Modric’s career at Real Madrid has been nothing short of extraordinary. He boasts an impressive collection of 27 major trophies, including six Champions League titles, four La Liga championships, five Club World Cups, five UEFA Super Cups, five Spanish Super Cups, and two Copa del Reys.
Over his time with the club, he has made 548 appearances, scoring 39 goals and providing 90 assists, solidifying his status as one of the all-time greats.
Additionally, Modric’s accolades include being one of only eight players to have won the Ballon d’Or while representing Real Madrid, and he shares the distinction with Cristiano Ronaldo as the only player to have claimed The Best FIFA Men’s Player award while with the club.
As the football world looks ahead, questions remain about whether Modric will receive another contract extension to continue his remarkable career into his 40s.
