New Delhi: The greatest joys in football are often the simplest: the sweetly-timed kick, a pass that goes exactly as you want it to, the run past the defender, the shimmy, a tackle done right. These are the things that make a match.
At 40, Luka Modric still brings a sprinkle of magic to the game, but it's the simplicity of his movements and passes that make it all possible.
Modric's movement is the first thing that comes to mind. He is everywhere at once and when Croatia are playing well, everything seems to go through him.
His career at Real Madrid saw him win a record 28 trophies, including 6 Champions Leagues and 4 La Liga titles, but he's now playing for AC Milan, where he's started 32 of 34 league matches.
Modric has been named in coach Zlatko Dalic's 26-man Croatia squad for the World Cup, where he'll look to leave one final mark on the world stage.
With 196 international appearances under his belt, Modric could make his 200th appearance at this summer's tournament.
Croatia are in Group L along with England, Panama, and Ghana, and will need Modric's experience and sophisticated passing to navigate the competition.
Modric's drive to win and his ability to play passes that others don't see make him one of Europe's top playmakers, even at 40.
