Croatia’s Modric Is Oldest Player Ever to Score at European Championship and He’s Not Done Yet 

Croatia's midfielder #10 Luka Modric celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group B football match between the Croatia and Italy at the Leipzig Stadium in Leipzig on June 24, 2024. (AFP)
Croatia's midfielder #10 Luka Modric celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group B football match between the Croatia and Italy at the Leipzig Stadium in Leipzig on June 24, 2024. (AFP)
TT

Croatia’s Modric Is Oldest Player Ever to Score at European Championship and He’s Not Done Yet 

Croatia's midfielder #10 Luka Modric celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group B football match between the Croatia and Italy at the Leipzig Stadium in Leipzig on June 24, 2024. (AFP)
Croatia's midfielder #10 Luka Modric celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group B football match between the Croatia and Italy at the Leipzig Stadium in Leipzig on June 24, 2024. (AFP)

A standing ovation, a man-of-the-match award and a record.

But Croatia star Luka Modric was in no mood to celebrate, regardless of the accolades, after what could have been his last appearance at a major tournament.

Modric scored against Italy on Monday to become the oldest goal-scorer ever at a European Championship.

Ultimately it wasn’t enough to ensure his team stays in the competition. Mattia Zaccagni scored in the eighth minute of stoppage time for Italy to draw 1-1 and advance to the knockout stage.

Croatia needs an improbable series of other results going its way to remain at Euro 2024.

Modric, who is 38 years and 289 days old, claimed the opening goal on a rebound in the 55th minute, within a minute of having a penalty saved by Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The previous record was held by Ivica Vastic, who was 38 years, 257 days old when he scored for Austria against Poland at Euro 2008.

Modric received standing ovations from fans when he went off in the 80th, and he was applauded again when he showed up for the post-game news conference.

One Italian journalist started by telling Modric he was one of the most magnificent players he had ever seen. He said he had no question to ask, just a request for him never to retire from playing.

Modric seemed genuinely moved by the kind words.

“I’d also like to keep playing forever but there probably will come a time when I’ll have to hang up my boots,” he replied. “I’ll keep playing. I’ll continue, so I’m not sure when, we’ll see.”

Modric earlier this month extended his contract by another year at Real Madrid, where he has amassed an impressive haul of trophies since joining from Tottenham in 2012, including another Champions League and Spanish league title last season.

Modric has played 178 games for Croatia since making his debut at age 20 under Zlatko Kranjcar in 2006. The 2018 Ballon d’Or winner is playing in his fifth European Championship. His goal against Italy took his tally to four goals in 16 games at the tournament.

But Modric has enjoyed greater success with the national team at the World Cup, leading Croatia to the final in 2018, and third place in 2022.

The draw against Italy on Monday, and the manner in which it came with the last kick of the game, means Croatia is almost certain to be eliminated in the next days.

“It was very stressful. We kept fighting like lions right to the end. But football is cruel,” Modric said. “That’s part and parcel of football. Sometimes it brings a lot of happiness, but sometimes it makes you very sad as well.

“Losing like this is very difficult. It’s hard to find words to describe how my teammates and probably the fans feel as well. Of course, we need to bounce back.”

Modric, who is the team captain, took comfort from the performance.

“We gave everything for Croatia, and this is how Croatia presents itself, regardless of the cruelty of this result. We deserved more, but it’s football,” he said. “We can be proud of how we represented Croatia.”



Vardy Scores Landmark Goal for Leicester in Final Game for Club

Football - Premier League - Leicester City v Ipswich Town - King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain - May 18, 2025 Leicester City's Jamie Vardy celebrates scoring their first goal with Leicester City's Kasey McAteer. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Leicester City v Ipswich Town - King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain - May 18, 2025 Leicester City's Jamie Vardy celebrates scoring their first goal with Leicester City's Kasey McAteer. (Action Images via Reuters)
TT

Vardy Scores Landmark Goal for Leicester in Final Game for Club

Football - Premier League - Leicester City v Ipswich Town - King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain - May 18, 2025 Leicester City's Jamie Vardy celebrates scoring their first goal with Leicester City's Kasey McAteer. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Leicester City v Ipswich Town - King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain - May 18, 2025 Leicester City's Jamie Vardy celebrates scoring their first goal with Leicester City's Kasey McAteer. (Action Images via Reuters)

Jamie Vardy marked his 500th and final match for Leicester with a farewell goal — his 200th for the club he has represented for exactly 13 years.

The 38-year-old striker scored in the 28th minute to put Leicester 1-0 ahead against Ipswich at King Power Stadium in the Premier League on Sunday.

Vardy ran to the corner flag, pulled it out and raised it aloft before being mobbed by his teammates.

Grabbing a landmark goal is a fitting way to go out for Vardy, a player Leicester has described as its “greatest ever” after he famously helped the team to win the Premier League title in 2016 at preseason odds of 5,000-1. In that title-winning campaign, he netted in a record 11 straight games to inspire one of the great underdog stories in sporting history.

Vardy is still going strong, scoring nine times in this campaign to back up his assertion that he can still play at the highest level. It hasn't been announced where he will play next.

Leicester still has another league game left after that — at Bournemouth on May 25 in the Premier League's final round — but Vardy’s last appearance for the team will be against Ipswich.

Vardy joined Leicester from non-league team Fleetwood Town for 1 million pounds (now $1.33 million) in May 2012 — exactly 13 years ago.