Croatian captain Luka Modrić has reached another remarkable milestone in his extraordinary career, drawing level with Lionel Messi in the number of international appearances for their respective national teams.
With his latest outing for Croatia, Modrić recorded his 191st appearance in the national jersey, matching Messi’s total and further cementing his place among the most enduring figures in international football.
The achievement is particularly impressive given that Modrić made his senior debut for Croatia in 2006 and has remained a central figure in the national team for two decades. During that period, he captained Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final and a third-place finish at the 2022 World Cup, becoming one of the most influential players in the country’s football history.
Messi and Modrić belong to a rare generation of footballers whose international careers have spanned nearly twenty years. Both are expected to feature at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which could allow them to move even higher on the all-time appearance rankings and potentially reach the symbolic 200-cap mark.
The statistic further highlights Modrić’s exceptional longevity. Now in his forties, the Croatian midfielder continues to perform at the highest level while remaining the driving force behind his national team. His ability to maintain elite standards over such a long period has placed him alongside the greatest players of his era.
For Croatia, the milestone represents another chapter in the legacy of a player who has become synonymous with the national team, while for world football it serves as a reminder of the extraordinary careers enjoyed by both Modrić and Messi, two icons whose influence has defined an entire generation of the sport.
