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‘Rejuvenated’ Modric Determined to Enjoy World Cup Swan Song

Croatia's Luka Modric reacts during a news conference ahead of his team's World Cup Group L soccer match against England, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP)
Croatia's Luka Modric reacts during a news conference ahead of his team's World Cup Group L soccer match against England, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP)
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‘Rejuvenated’ Modric Determined to Enjoy World Cup Swan Song

Croatia's Luka Modric reacts during a news conference ahead of his team's World Cup Group L soccer match against England, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP)
Croatia's Luka Modric reacts during a news conference ahead of his team's World Cup Group L soccer match against England, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP)

Midfield great Luka Modric said Tuesday he was determined to enjoy every second of his last World Cup and had been "rejuvenated" by being with Croatia for a fifth time on football's biggest stage.

Croatia face England on Wednesday in Texas in one of the most attractive fixtures of the group stage in North America.

The 40-year-old Modric will lead out Croatia, who beat England in the World Cup semi-finals in 2018, and will pull the strings once more in midfield.

Along with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, this will be the last dance for one of the most acclaimed players in the world over the past 20 years.

Modric, now with AC Milan after more than a decade at the heart of Real Madrid's midfield, is set to win his 200th cap for his country in North America.

"Every game, every tournament is special at 40 with the national team," Modric said on the eve of the England clash.

"My aim in this tournament is to enjoy it, to do my best, but enjoy it," he added.

"I want to enjoy each match, every training with these guys."

Croatia strolled through qualifying but come into the World Cup with little fanfare -- much like at other recent major tournaments.

But England will underestimate them at their peril, even if the Croatia squad is one of the older ones at the tournament.

Another veteran of past campaigns, 37-year-old winger Ivan Perisic, is also in the squad alongside Manchester City pair Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic.

There is excitement about defender Luka Vuskovic, 19, who is expected to start against England, and Modric said: "There are a lot of young players, so I feel rejuvenated with them."

Long-serving coach Zlatko Dalic is looking forward to facing England once more, and seeing how his men stand up to an attack led by the prolific skipper Harry Kane.

"The opponent is high quality," he said.

"We know their quality, we analyzed them, and they know us too... they're very dangerous.

"They have the best strikers in the world. They have Kane -- Kane can do a lot, a hell of a lot," he added, saying he was also wary of the threat posed by Thomas Tuchel's side from set-pieces.

"We are quite prepared for that," he said.

Also in Group L are Ghana and Panama.

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UEFA Pressure on Infantino Grows as Greek FA, Bierhoff Back Change

Football - FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before a FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup match on September 5, 2026. (Reuters)
Football - FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before a FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup match on September 5, 2026. (Reuters)
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UEFA Pressure on Infantino Grows as Greek FA, Bierhoff Back Change

Football - FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before a FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup match on September 5, 2026. (Reuters)
Football - FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before a FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup match on September 5, 2026. (Reuters)

Greek Football Association ‌president Makis Gagatsis and former Germany national team director Oliver Bierhoff on Tuesday backed UEFA's push for change in FIFA's leadership, underscoring a united European front in opposition to FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

"The Greek FA (EPO) has taken a clear position against a candidacy of Gianni Infantino," EPO President Makis Gagatsis told reporters.

"We saw things happen at the World Cup that are not acceptable to football public opinion," Gagatsis said.

"Then... came a program to sell World Cup rights and we are clearly against it, so we withdrew our support of the FIFA president."

He was speaking after a meeting ‌of the UEFA ‌Executive Committee in the northern Greek city of ‌Thessaloniki, ⁠with a "legends'" five-a-side ⁠game held in the city center to promote UEFA's grassroots program.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin was also present at the event but did not talk to media.

Infantino has been under mounting pressure ever since he unveiled a proposal to sell a commercial stake of the World Cup to private investors. The plan prompted fierce opposition, with UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and ⁠North America's CONCACAF among those calling for change at ‌the top of FIFA.

FIFA quickly abandoned ‌the plan and apologized to member associations for mistakes made, but its leadership reaffirmed ‌support for Infantino after a crisis meeting in August in Morocco.

UEFA ‌has been among the staunchest critics of Infantino and have said a change in leadership is now necessary given the loss of trust in Infantino, who is planning to run for re-election in March.

"We have to take care of ‌football," Bierhoff, who was Germany's national team director for 18 years until 2022, said.

"It is already commercial but ⁠it is ⁠a property for all of football.

"The world views may be different but in the last weeks and months a lot happened so that we have no trust anymore that it will be going in the right direction."

Infantino has weathered the opposition against him since he apologized to FIFA members in August over errors surrounding the abandoned proposal but has since declined to discuss the fallout publicly.

Sources have told Reuters his critics are now having to rethink their strategy.

They have until mid-November to name a rival presidential candidate but so far there is no clear frontrunner.

On Saturday, Danish football chief Jesper Moller, a member of UEFA’s Executive Committee, said he would continue working with European colleagues to find a candidate who could command a majority.

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Spain Manager Luis de la Fuente Agrees Contract Extension Until 2030 World Cup

08 June 2025, Bavaria, Munich: Spain coach Luis de la Fuente stands on the touchline during the UEFA Nations League final match between Portugal and Spain at the Allianz Arena. (dpa)
08 June 2025, Bavaria, Munich: Spain coach Luis de la Fuente stands on the touchline during the UEFA Nations League final match between Portugal and Spain at the Allianz Arena. (dpa)
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Spain Manager Luis de la Fuente Agrees Contract Extension Until 2030 World Cup

08 June 2025, Bavaria, Munich: Spain coach Luis de la Fuente stands on the touchline during the UEFA Nations League final match between Portugal and Spain at the Allianz Arena. (dpa)
08 June 2025, Bavaria, Munich: Spain coach Luis de la Fuente stands on the touchline during the UEFA Nations League final match between Portugal and Spain at the Allianz Arena. (dpa)

Spain's World Cup-winning coach Luis de la Fuente has agreed a contract extension until 2030 after guiding the men's national team to back-to-back major titles, media ‌reported on ‌Tuesday,

De la Fuente, ‌who ⁠led Spain to ⁠glory at Euro 2024 before winning the World Cup in July, had a contract in ⁠place until 2028.

The ‌new ‌deal ensures that de la ‌Fuente will remain ‌in charge when Spain attempt to defend their global title on home ‌soil. Spain will co-host the 2030 World ⁠Cup ⁠with Morocco and Portugal.

Since taking over, de la Fuente's Spain have been defeated just twice in 41 competitive matches.

Reuters have contacted the Royal Spanish Football Federation for comment.

Sports

World Athletics Championships to Be Staged in Africa for the First Time with Nairobi as Host

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe speaks during a news conference marking the formal opening of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (AP)
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe speaks during a news conference marking the formal opening of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (AP)
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World Athletics Championships to Be Staged in Africa for the First Time with Nairobi as Host

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe speaks during a news conference marking the formal opening of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (AP)
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe speaks during a news conference marking the formal opening of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (AP)

The World Athletics Championships are heading to Africa for the first time as Kenya's capital Nairobi was confirmed Tuesday as host of the 2029 edition.

Kenya has long been a superpower in distance running but has yet to host an event of this scale. The championships return to Germany in 2031 with Munich hosting.

“Taking our championships to Africa for the first time will be historic,” World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said as he announced the decision following the Ultimate Championship in Hungary. “Athletics is woven into the fabric of Kenya.”

The decision brings recognition of Kenya's status as a track nation, but is likely to bring extra scrutiny of the East African nation's history of top runners being busted for doping.

Marathon world record holder Ruth Chepng'etich is serving a three-year doping ban after joining the many elite-level Kenyan runners suspended over the past decade.

After the new Ultimate Championship brought big cash prizes instead of medals for an invitation-only field of track's biggest names, it's back to the traditional worlds format next year in Beijing.

The world championships run for 10 days, against three for the new Ultimate Championship, with a full slate of events. That means including competitions like the men's triple jump, shot put, walks and marathon which weren't on the schedule in Budapest last week.