Luka Modrić closed his chapter with Real Madrid this summer after a turbulent Club World Cup for many. The Croatian will wear a different jersey after spending the last 13 seasons as a Blanco, where he was even awarded the Ballon d’Or. Now, he joins AC Milan, a club he has followed since childhood and hopes to return to the pinnacle of European football.

The footballer, formerly the number 10 for Real Madrid, is 39 years old and nearing 40, but that doesn’t dampen the excitement of fans and the football world, as he insists he’s not thinking about retirement and still aims to compete at the highest level.

Retirement? Modrić says it’s not time to talk about it

“It’s too early to say. My goal is clearly to play in the World Cup next year, but first, we have to qualify. I don’t look too far ahead. The important thing is to live in the present and do things right. I want to start this new adventure, prepare as best as possible to ensure I’m at the level this club demands. There’ll be time to think about the future. I have to focus on the present to give everything for Milan,” he stated during his presentation.

“Everyone knows that Milan is one of the best teams in the world, and we must never settle,” the Croatian admitted, emphasizing that “the Champions League should be the minimum goal.” To achieve this, he stressed the need to be “humble and work hard, which is also my goal.”

Luka Modrić joins a legacy of Croatian players who have played for the San Siro club, alongside the legendary Zvonimir Boban, as well as Dario Šimić, Mario Mandžukić, Mario Pašalić, Ante Rebić, and Ivan Strinić.