Real Madrid legend Luka Modrić will leave the club this summer after the Club World Cup, the club and the player announced on Thursday.
Modrić, 39, has starred for Madrid for 13 seasons, winning a club record 28 trophies.
The 2018 Ballon d’Or winning midfielder has played a reduced role for Madrid in recent seasons, but has remained important, featuring in 34 LaLiga games this season, 16 as a starter.
“Real Madrid C.F. and our captain Luka Modrić have agreed to end an unforgettable period as a player for our club at the end of the Club World Cup, which our team will play starting June 18 in the United States,” Madrid said in a statement on Thursday. “Real Madrid would like to express its gratitude and deep affection for the man who is already one of the greatest legends of our club and of world football.
“Real Madrid wishes Luka Modrić and his family all the best in this new stage of his life. The Santiago Bernabéu will pay tribute to him this Saturday on the occasion of our team’s final LaLiga match.”
“Dear Madridistas, the time has come. The moment I never wanted to come, but that’s football, and in life everything has a beginning and an end,” Modrić said in a post on social media.
“On Saturday I will play my last match at the Santiago Bernabéu. I arrived in 2012 with the desire to wear the shirt of the best team in the world and with the ambition to do big things, but I couldn’t imagine what came next.
“Playing for Real Madrid changed my life as a football player and as a person. I am proud to have been part of one of the most successful eras of the best club in history.
“Leaving with a full heart. Filled with pride, gratitude and unforgettable memories. And even though, after the Club World Cup, I’m no longer going to wear this shirt on the field, I’ll always be a Madrid fan.”
Modrić is one of just five players to have won six European Cups, being part of Madrid’s Champions League winning teams in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2024.
In an era dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, he won the 2018 Ballon d’Or after helping Croatia reach the 2018 World Cup final.
“Luka Modrić will remain forever in the hearts of all Real Madrid fans as a unique and exemplary footballer, who has always represented the values of Real Madrid,” Madrid president Florentino Pérez said. “His football captivated Real Madrid fans and fans around the world. His legacy will live on forever.”
Madrid have had a disappointing season, failing to win a major trophy for the first time since 2021.
The team are now preparing for a significant rebuild this summer, with coach Carlo Ancelotti leaving and set to be replaced by Xabi Alonso.
