Real Madrid captain and midfield maestro Luka Modric has confirmed he will leave the Spanish giants after their FIFA Club World Cup campaign this summer, closing the curtain on a glittering 13-year spell at the Bernabeu.
The 39-year-old Croatian, who joined Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur in 2012, announced his decision via Instagram, saying, “The moment has arrived. The moment I never wanted to come, but that’s football, and in life everything has a beginning and an end.”
Modric, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2018, leaves behind a remarkable legacy as Real Madrid’s most decorated player. His farewell appearance at the Santiago Bernabeu will come this Saturday against Real Sociedad in the final La Liga match of the season.
Since arriving in the Spanish capital, Modric has collected a staggering 28 trophies, including six UEFA Champions League titles, four La Liga championships, and six FIFA Club World Cups. With 590 appearances, 43 goals, and 95 assists for the club, he has become synonymous with Real’s modern golden era.
“I arrived in 2012 with the hope of wearing the jersey of the best team in the world and the ambition to do great things, but I couldn’t have imagined what came next,” Modric reflected. “Playing for Real Madrid changed my life as a footballer and as a person.”
Despite limited game time this season—often appearing from the bench—Modric has remained a vital presence in the dressing room. He notched two goals and six assists in 34 La Liga matches, helping Real remain competitive in both domestic and European fronts. However, Barcelona edged them out to claim the league title, while Real Madrid fell to Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals.
His departure marks not just the end of his era but coincides with a broader shift within the club. Manager Carlo Ancelotti, under whom Modric flourished, is also set to leave after Saturday’s match, with Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso reportedly lined up as his successor.
Club president Florentino Perez paid tribute to the veteran midfielder, saying, “Modric will forever remain in the hearts of all Madridistas as a unique and exemplary footballer who has always embodied the values of Real Madrid. His football has captured the imagination of Madridismo and fans all over the world.”
No other player has won more titles in a Real Madrid shirt. Among his accolades are five Spanish Super Cups, two Copa del Rey trophies, and five UEFA Super Cups. His 2018 Champions League triumph, followed by guiding Croatia to their first-ever World Cup final, earned him the Ballon d’Or—breaking a decade-long duopoly held by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Modric also became the oldest goalscorer in La Liga for Real Madrid earlier this season, netting against Valencia at 39 years and 116 days, surpassing Ferenc Puskas’ longstanding record.
Guillem Balague, BBC Sport columnist, said Modric’s departure feels like “the end of an era” at the Bernabeu. “Although Modric has been playing less, he was still a magnet for the team. But football is changing—it’s faster and more physical. Modric understood his role this season better, but ultimately, this is a club decision. A new culture must emerge.”
As Real Madrid prepares to open their Club World Cup campaign on June 18 against Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal, followed by matches against Mexico’s Pachuca and Austria’s RB Salzburg, Modric’s final contribution to the team could add yet another trophy to his illustrious collection.
Beyond football, Modric recently became a minority investor and co-owner of English Championship side Swansea City, hinting at a post-playing career in football business.
Whether lifting one last trophy or bidding farewell with quiet dignity, Luka Modric’s departure signals the end of one of Real Madrid’s greatest chapters—and the beginning of its next.
