Modric heads Croatia’s call for its fifth World Cup

The Croatian captain overcame a fracture and could reach 200 games for his national team.

Luka Modric will play in his fifth World Cup. The 40-year-old midfielder was included in the list of 26 players that Croatia presented for the Qatar tournament.

Coach Zlatko Dalic confirmed the roster on Monday. Modric, captain and leader of the team, has recovered from a fractured cheekbone suffered last month. He is expected to be ready for the debut against England on June 17. Croatia will also face Panama and Ghana in Group L.

RelatedModric fractures his cheekbone and says goodbye to the season with Milan

Modric won the Ballon d’Or in 2018, breaking the dominance of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. He debuted with the national team in 2006 and is the player with the most international appearances in Croatian history: 196 appearances. During the World Cup it could reach 200 games.

Along with Modric, Dalic included Ivan Perisic, scorer of goals in the last three World Cup tournaments. The squad adds experience with names like Dominik Livakovic, Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic, Mario Pasalic and Andrej Kramaric.

Croatia was runner-up in 2018 after losing the final against France. In 2022 she finished third, beating Morocco in the duel for bronze.

Croatia’s list

Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Dominik Kotarski (Copenhagen), Ivor Pandur (Hull City).

Defenders: Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City), Duje Caleta-Car (Real Sociedad), Josip Sutalo (Ajax), Josip Stanisic (Bayern Munich), Marin Pongracic (Fiorentina), Martin Erlic (Midtjylland), Luka Vuskovic (HSV).

Midfielders: Luka Modric (AC Milan), Mateo Kovacic (Manchester City), Mario Pasalic (Atalanta), Nikola Vlasic (Torino), Luka Sucic (Real Sociedad), Martin Baturina (Como), Kristijan Jakic (Augsburg), Petar Sucic (Inter), Nikola Moro (Bologna), Toni Fruk (Rijeka).

Forwards: Ivan Perisic (PSV Eindhoven), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Marco Pasalic (Orlando City), Petar Musa (Dallas), Igor Matanovic (Freiburg).

In addition, Dalic named seven reserve players: Lovro Majer, Franjo Ivanovic, Dion Drena Beljo, Ivan Smolcic, Karlo Letica, Adrian Segecic and Luka Stojkovic.

Mexico clashes with Ecuador in the Round of 32 of the World Cup

Mexico will face Ecuador in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup at the Mexico City Stadium.

Mexico vs Ecuador: the Round of 32 duel

The Mexican National Team already knows its next rival in the 2026 World Cup. Ecuador will be the team it will face in the Round of 32, a direct elimination phase where there is no margin for error.

The match will be played on Tuesday, June 30 at 8:00 p.m. at the Mexico City Stadium. There, the Tricolor has never lost a World Cup match; In the current fair he has three consecutive victories.

Ecuador arrives with four points, after a campaign where it beat Germany, tied with Curacao and lost to Ivory Coast. He is a rival who already knows the taste of beating a world champion.

The only World Cup history between both teams dates back to Korea-Japan 2002. That time, Mexico won 2-1 with goals from Jared Borgetti and Gerardo Torrado.

Details of the meeting

  • Date: Tuesday, June 30
  • Time: 8:00 p.m. (central Mexico)
  • Transmission: Channel 5, TUDN, Azteca 7 and ViX World Pass

The match will define who advances to the second round. There is no tomorrow for either team.

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DR Congo comes back and beats Uzbekistan 3-1 in qualifying rounds

Congo comes back against Uzbekistan and has four points in Group K.

Congolese comeback in Group K

The DR Congo team gave a surprise by winning 3-1 against Uzbekistan, in a match where they managed to reverse the adverse score. With this result, the African team has four points in Group K of the World Cup qualifiers.

Uzbekistan started strongly. At minute 10, Eldor Shomurodov scored an early goal that excited his fans. The Central Asian team retreated after the lead, waiting for the African rival.

The Congolese reaction lasted until the second half. In the 68th minute, Yoane Wissa converted a penalty that tied the score. The forward took the ball and scored for the momentary tie.

Just ten minutes later, Fiston Mayele made it 2-1 with excellent anticipation to goalkeeper Nematov, who went wrong on the play.

In the final stretch, Yoane Wissa sealed his double with a precise shot between a sea of ​​legs, sending the ball into the corner of the rival goal. The final 3-1 confirmed the Congolese comeback.

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England defeats Panama 2-0 and advances as group leader

England beats Panama 2-0 with goals from Bellingham and Kane. Croatia also wins.

England secure first place

England needed an hour to open the scoring, but then finished the game in six minutes. Jude Bellingham, at 61′, broke the tie with a shot that beat goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera. Six minutes later, Harry Kane extended the lead with an accurate header.

The 2-0 victory against Panama gave England the lead in Group L. Croatia, by beating Ghana 2-1 in the other match of the day, took second place. The African team, despite the defeat, secured its place among the best eight third parties.

Panama resisted with order for much of the first half. Mosquera was a figure until Bellingham found the space. In the second half, the Panamanians tried to respond, but Jordan Pickford avoided the tie with a key save. José Fajardo scored a goal in injury time, but it was disallowed for offside after a VAR review.

England left behind the doubts of the goalless draw against Ghana and showed solvency. Thomas Tuchel’s team now awaits a rival for the round of 16, who will emerge from the group of the best third parties. For the moment, the opponent would be Senegal, although the definition will depend on the closing of the group stage.

Croatia, with Luka Modric as a leader, beat Ghana with goals from Petar Sucic and Nikola Vlasic. Derrick Luckassen temporarily tied for the African team, but the Europeans imposed their hierarchy and took the victory.

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