Luka Modric, who will turn 41 on Wednesday, has decided to continue his international football career and will play for Croatia in upcoming Nations League matches, including a highly anticipated game against England. The Croatia Football Association confirmed that Modric, who has been the team’s captain for many years, intends to take part in the Nations League fixtures. His decision comes as Slaven Bilic returns as the national team’s manager. Bilic previously led Croatia from 2006 to 2012 and was instrumental in Modric’s early development as an international player. Modric earned his first senior cap in March 2006, just before Bilic was named Croatia’s manager, and has since made 202 appearances for the national team. Modric had been expected to retire after this summer’s World Cup, where Croatia was eliminated in the round of 32 by Portugal. Slaven Bilic expressed his joy at Modric’s decision, saying, “Of course, Luka’s decision makes me extremely happy. We are all aware what he brings to Croatia, both on and off the pitch. I'm looking forward to working with him again, after 14 years, and we both share a strong ambition to keep Croatia a top, successful team, shoulder to shoulder with the best teams in the world.” Modric, who currently plays for AC Milan, won the Golden Ball award at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where he helped Croatia reach the final, which they lost to France. He was also part of the team that finished third in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Modric has had a long and storied career with the Croatian national team. He played a key role in the 2008 European Championship qualifiers, where Croatia defeated England under manager Steve McLaren. That match became famous for a humorous moment involving a fan with an umbrella, known as the "wally with the brolly" incident. Modric also helped Croatia reach the quarter-finals of the 2008 European Championship in Austria and Switzerland, marking an important stage in his international career. Croatia’s upcoming Nations League matches include games against the Czech Republic on 26 September and Spain on 29 September. The team will then host England in the competition on 3 October, with a return match at England’s Wembley Stadium scheduled for 12 November. Modric’s continued presence is expected to provide leadership and experience to the team as they compete in this prestigious tournament.