Modric became Croatia’s oldest scorer at 41, and Bilic’s return began with a win in Prague
Croatia beat Czechia 2-1 in their Nations League opener with goals from Modric and the substitute Pasalic, and no Croatia fans were allowed in to see it.
Sep 27, 2026
Luka Modric is 41, and on Saturday night in Prague he became the oldest man ever to score for Croatia. It came two minutes into the second half, it was the first goal of Slaven Bilic’s second spell as coach, and Croatia went on to beat Czechia 2-1 in their Nations League opener at the Fortuna Arena on 26 September.
No Croatia fans saw it. UEFA had barred them from the game, one half of a punishment for crowd trouble at the Nations League quarter-final against France in March 2025. The other half comes next week, when Croatia host England in Rijeka behind closed doors.
The goal
The first half was tight and short of chances. Two minutes after the restart Igor Matanovic laid the ball off to Modric on the right, and the AC Milan midfielder carried it towards the edge of the box before driving it into the far corner. He already held the record as the oldest scorer at a European Championship, from his goal against Italy at Euro 2024, when he was 38 years and 289 days old.
The lead lasted seven minutes. Josko Gvardiol and Vuskovic got in each other’s way trying to clear, Adam Hlozek found Adam Karabec in the middle of the box, and Karabec sent Dominik Livakovic the wrong way to make it 1-1.
Perisic and Pasalic finish it
Croatia’s winner came from their other veteran. Ivan Perisic, who is 37, crossed from the left in the 77th minute and the substitute Mario Pasalic headed it down. Lukas Hornicek got a hand to it and fumbled it over the line. Czechia thought they had equalised again a few minutes later, but VAR ruled the goal out for offside.
The result ended Czechia’s run of 19 home matches without defeat. It was also the first competitive game for their new coach, the Spaniard Santi Denia, who was appointed on 31 July as Czechia’s first foreign head coach after their early World Cup exit.
Where this leaves the group
Croatia and Spain both have three points after Spain’s 3-2 win at Wembley on the same night. Croatia go to Spain on Tuesday, 29 September, the same evening England travel to Prague, and then they face England in the empty stadium in Rijeka on Saturday, 3 October.
Bilic was Croatia’s coach from 2006 to 2012, when Modric was in his early twenties. Fourteen years on, the same player is deciding games for him. I am not sure how long Croatia can keep leaning on a 41-year-old and a 37-year-old for their big moments. On this evidence they do not need to stop just yet.