Liverpool's temple of football applauded him, his class and career that lasted more than 20 years were saluted by fans in many other stadiums around the world, and then Podgorica greeted him at the age of 41.
Montenegro fans showed against Croatia that they are above Balkan divisions, but also that they appreciate true football greats, masters like Luka Modrić.
The Croatian and Real Madrid legend, and currently a midfielder for Milan, first received applause from the stands of the stadium under Gorica at the start of the match when he headed towards the substitutes' bench. He was a bit surprised, but when he realized that they were addressed to him, he greeted the fans of our national team.
"I didn't even realize the applause was directed at me. I got goosebumps - an incredible feeling," said Luka.
The second round of applause and chanting of his name came at the end of the game when he stepped onto the field.
"I've experienced it in a lot of stadiums, it's always nice, but when the audience in a neighboring country welcomes you like this, it's even more special," Modrić described it in beautiful words.
The Montenegrin fans were a great strength for the "falcons", but they also once again showed respect for their rival, their anthem...
"The audience received us wonderfully. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for that. May they continue to support their team in this way," concluded Modrić.
You can watch the moment when the maestro from Zadar took to the field under Gorica on this page. link.
And the Montenegrins were finally right on the field, in the end they failed to defeat one of the world's strongest teams (2:3), but they led 2:0 and played 70 excellent minutes, the best game overall in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Bonus video:
