Milan midfielder Modric could announce retirement after World Cup

Originally posted on Football Italia | By Sam Wilson | Last updated May 27, 2026 4:30 AM ET

Luka Modric is seriously considering retirement following the World Cup, with Milan’s failure to secure Champions League football and the dismissal of Massimiliano Allegri combining to remove two of the key conditions the Croatian had set for continuing his playing career.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, via CalcioMercato, Modric will turn 41 in September and has always made clear he would only continue if the environment offered genuine competitive motivation.

With Milan’s entire leadership structure dismantled and a project that must be rebuilt from the ground up, the prospect of a title challenge next season appears remote, far removed from the conditions the veteran midfielder had in mind.

MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Luka Modric of AC Milan is consoled by Massimiliano Allegri, Head Coach of AC Milan, as he is assisted off by medical staff after going down injured during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Allegri exit accelerates Modric retirement thinking as Cardinale faces key decision at Milan

The situation is further complicated by Modric’s close bond with the outgoing coach. His relationship with Allegri was one of the primary reasons he had been open to staying, and the Tuscan’s departure removes a significant source of comfort and familiarity at the club.

Milan do hold an option to extend his contract by one year beyond its June 30 expiry, and both Cardinale and Ibrahimovic are understood to be keen on keeping him.

Whether they can persuade Modric to commit to another year in circumstances so different from those he had envisaged is far from certain.

The World Cup in the United States this summer may ultimately serve as his farewell stage, a fitting backdrop for one of football’s greatest ever players to bring the curtain down on an extraordinary career.

This article first appeared on Football Italia and was syndicated with permission.

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