One of the greatest football players of all time, Luke Modric’s continued success at the top level at 39 is a credit to his professionalism.
The midfielder is typically the oldest player on the pitch in the games he participates in.
That won’t be the case, though, when his Croatian team plays Scotland in Zagreb this coming weekend.
That accolade will go to former Celtics player Craig Gordon, who is expected to start for Steve Clarke in place of Angus Gunn due to injury.
When Gordon joined the Bhoys in 2014, he was already a seasoned player at the age of 31. He proceeded to participate in 242 tournaments and take home 12 awards.
He was a well-known member of Brendan Rodgers’ Invincibles team in 2016–17, and every Celtic fan will never forget the famous picture of him celebrating Tom Rogic’s victory in the Scottish Cup Final.
At 41 years old and about to turn 42, he is astonishingly still going strong. Despite suffering a severe fractured leg in 2022, the goalie recovered and is now a valuable member of Scotland’s national team, Hearts.
Luka Modric on how good it is Craig Gordon
During Friday’s national news conference, Modric was questioned about Craig Gordon’s longevity and what makes a player play well past the typical retirement age.
“I know Craig Gordon from before,” the Real Madrid player remarked. He makes a fantastic goalie. His continued playing is fantastic for Scotland and for him.
“Having someone on the pitch who is genuinely older than I am is going to be nice.”
“My passion for Croatia and football is what keeps me going.” Being a member of the national team means a lot to me.
“I play my best because it is the highest honour,” the player said.
Modric enquired about Celtic’s exposure to the Champions League.
When Modric joined Dinamo Zagreb, the team that Celtic would face in December, more than 20 years ago, he immediately built a name for himself as one of the best young players in European football.
Ever since, any new player that the team develops is bound to be compared to the six-time Champions League winner.
The 21-year-old midfield prodigy Martin Baturina is the most recent to be called the “next Luka Modric.”
The veteran was questioned about his international teammate and whether or not his brilliance will show against the Bhoys during Friday’s press conference.
To which Modric replied, “We’ll see. He has a lot of talent. He must work and receive quality training. He must put forth a lot of effort during the training sessions.
“I think that, like me, he’s going to be an important member of the Croatian team in the future.
“He is really talented, very good, and very full of promise. Above all, he must continue to strive and get better every day.
Baturina, who is still quite young, has already made 132 appearances for Dinamo and is frequently connected to high-profile transfers to the wealthiest leagues in Europe.
Baturina, who plays mostly as a centre offensive midfielder, is having a fantastic season. Through his first 12 games, he has two goals and seven assists.
On the second matchday of the Champions League, he demonstrated his exceptional threat by both scoring and setting up another goal in the Croatians’ 2-2 draw against Monaco at home.
If Celtic are to have any chance of winning in Zagreb later in the year, they will need to neutralise this important danger player.
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