Luka Modric will continue playing for Croatia beyond the World Cup, coach Zlatko Dalic said, as the 2018 finalists prepare to face Japan in the last 16 on Monday.
Real Madrid schemer Modric will win his 159th cap for his country if he plays against Japan and is still making Croatia tick at the age of 37.
Modric has now appeared in four World Cups and four European Championships and Dalic said his captain is not ready to retire from international duty just yet.
“This will not be the last tournament he will play for Croatia,” Dalic said on Sunday.
“He is professional and in good shape, you can see how he is in training, working to improve himself. It’s unprecedented.”
“We will need Luka for some time more in the future,” he added.
Modric started all three of Croatia’s first-round games in Qatar as they finished second in Group F behind Morocco.