Luka Modric has prompted renewed speculation that he could be set to retire at the end of the season after revealing he has made a ‘decision’ on his Real Madrid future.
The 38-year-old’s existing contract expires at the end of the season, with talks previously taking place to decide whether he will extend his stay.
Modric’s playing time has been reduced this season due to a combination of his age and the emergence of Jude Bellingham, but is still set to play a huge part in Saturday’s Champions League final.
Should he decide to retire after the Wembley showdown with Borussia Dortmund then Modric would be following in the footsteps of team-mate Toni Kroos who announced his decision to stop playing after the upcoming European Championship.
Kroos was given a hugely emotional farewell by Madrid players and club supporters in his final game at the Santiago Bernabeu at the weekend and Modric has explained he wants to be given a similar farewell.
Fuelling speculation that he is going to retire at the end of the season, Modric explained he has made a decision on his career but isn’t yet revealing what he will do to the public.
‘The decision on my future is made but I can’t tell you yet,’ Modric said in an interview with Partidaz de Cope.
‘I have always said I want to retire at Real Madrid, this is what I really want’.
‘This would be a dream, this is my home, the club of my life. I want a farewell like Toni Kroos,’ he added.
Modric continued to highlight the importance of being a regular starter at the club in a separate interview, stating: ‘You have been playing as a starter all your life and as a very important player, but you have to face other situations and fight, because I am never going to give up.
‘I had to fight and fight more when they needed me and I think I have done quite well.’
The veteran midfielder will go down as a Madrid legend whenever he does decide to call it a day on his career, whether it be at the end of this season or next.
Modric broke a 59-year record at the start of April when he became the oldest player to feature in the European cup for Madrid at the age of 38 years and 234 days.
Should the Spanish side beat Dortmund to claim a 15th Champions League gong at the weekend then he would become the competition’s second-oldest winner behind only AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini.
His career at the Spanish giants has seen Modric win five Champions League titles, four LaLiga titles, two Spanish cups and a host of other major honours.
He also became the first player to break Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s stranglehold on the Ballon d’Or when he won the individual accolade in 2018.
