News Focus
- Luka Modric may retire after the 2026 World Cup in the United States
- The AC Milan midfielder is unhappy after the club missed Champions League qualification
- Coach Massimiliano Allegri’s sacking has removed a key reason for Modric to stay
- The 40-year-old will turn 41 in September and wants to compete for major honours
- Milan chiefs Cardinale and Ibrahimovic still hope to extend his contract beyond June
Luka Modric is thinking about retiring after the World Cup. The famous midfielder is ready to end his playing days. This follows AC Milan’s failure to qualify for the Champions League. The club has also sacked coach Massimiliano Allegri. These two issues were crucial to Modric’s decision to stay.
Gazzetta dello Sport, via CalcioMercato, reports that Modric turns 41 in September. He has always said he would only continue if he could compete for major trophies. The current situation at Milan does not offer this.
The club is in chaos. The leadership structure has been broken up. The team needs a complete rebuild. This makes a title challenge next season seem unlikely. The environment is now very different from what Modric wanted.
Allegri’s sacking creates another issue. Modric had a close bond with the coach. This friendship was a main reason he wanted to stay. Without Allegri, the player has lost an important source of comfort at the club.
Despite this, Milan bosses want him to remain. The club can extend his contract by one year. It ends on 30 June. Owner Gerry Cardinale and advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic hope to change his mind.
But persuading Modric looks difficult. The club’s future is now very different from his original plans. The 2026 World Cup in the United States may therefore be his final goodbye. It would be a fitting stage for one of football’s best ever players to end an amazing career.