Category News

Luka Modric has left Real Madrid, but it’s over.

The 39-year-old Croat’s final game for Real is 597 appearances, 28 victories, and 13 years.

And Modric’s career for the Spanish giants will never be forgotten, despite the club’s thrashing by Paris St-Germain on Wednesday in the semi-final of the World Cup that ended in an unforgettable finale.

Since joining Real from Spurs in 2012, the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner has won six Champions Leagues and four domestic titles.

“The moment has arrived,” the statement read. When I announced his exit, Modric said on Instagram, “Everything has a beginning and an end, and that’s football.”

He said, “I arrived in 2012 with the ambition to wear the jersey of the best team in the world and the desire to achieve great things,” but he couldn’t have imagined what would come next.

“Playing for Real Madrid altered both my personality and football career.

I’m proud to have participated in one of history’s best clubs’ most prosperous eras.

As Real were defeated by Barcelona to win the title in 34 appearances in the Spanish top flight this season, Modric, who will play for AC Milan next season, scored two goals and added six assists.

He also appeared in every game for Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who reached the Champions League quarter-finals after falling to Arsenal 5-1 on aggregate.

With 597 appearances, 43 goals, and 95 assists, Modric will leave Real as its most decorated player.

After his departure was made public in June, club president Florentino Perez declared that Modric would forever be remembered in the hearts of all Madrid fans as a special and exceptional footballer who had always embodied the Real Madrid values.

His football has won Madridismo and fans all over the world for their imaginations. His legacy will endure indefinitely.

In his final season, Modric led Real to two titles and won 28 of them, making Nacho Fernandez the club’s most successful player.

In his 13 seasons at Real, he has won six Champions League titles, five European Super Cups, four La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey victories, and five Spanish Super Cups.

Real won the Ballon d’Or for the first time since 2007 after leading Real to victories over Liverpool and Croatia in the same year.

He is also the team’s oldest goalscorer and the oldest player to have scored in a 2-1 victory over Valencia, surpassing Ferenc Puskas’ mark at the age of 39 years and 116 days.

Modric, who replaces Koke and Oscar de Marcos of Atletico Madrid as the longest-serving player in the Spanish top flight, is also currently the third-longest-serving player in the standings.

Modric has been playing less than he has during his Real Madrid career, but he has the potential to have an impact because he attracts the team.

Although he may have felt like he was being useful at times, football is now moving in a different direction; for instance, you need to cover a lot of ground. Look at Pedri, who runs more runs than anyone else and is the most successful possession retriever in Barcelona. Modric is no longer able to do that.

Real had doubts, but he was the one who had been pushing for him to stay put. They believed there was no end to the world after reading the room, listening to the fans, and the player. However, he had already been prepared to leave.

Modric has, however, been a top-notch professional.

When Carlo Ancelotti and Toni Kroos realized they were going to change things, the club had chosen to use Aurelien Tchouameni, Fede Valverde, and Eduardo Camavinga to play a more dynamic and physical midfield.

Kroos and Modric both managed to turn things around and became a significant member of the team.

His circumstances have made him a little uneasy over the past few years. He was unsure of his position. He wished he could play 90 more minutes. He had a terrible experience, but this season, he has grown to appreciate his role and led them.

The club will have made this choice in the end, though. Xabi Alonso would have agreed, but first of all, it’s a club decision. Alonso’s team plays in a way that requires a lot of work, which he cannot do for Modric.

Additionally, it evokes the end of a time.

American Harris English may be without caddie Eric Larson for next week’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush after the bag man was denied entry to the UK.

English, the world number 19 golfer, said a letter is “sitting on someone’s desk at the government somewhere” after the decision to stop Larson from travelling because of a drug conviction more than 30 years ago.

Larson served 10 years in prison for drug offences before he was released in 2006 – and he has caddied at the Open before.

But he now needs an exemption to the new Electronic Travel Authority visa rules in the UK.

“I guess the United Kingdom doesn’t look highly on his past,” English said.

“I didn’t understand how complicated the process was. Someone could see this guy had something in his past 30 years ago, he’s been fine the last 20.

“How long does this stay with him?”

English said multiple letters have been written to vouch for the caddie, including one from the office of the US Ambassador to the UK, Warren Stephens.

“They [Stephens’ office] wrote a letter. The R&A wrote a letter. The PGA Tour wrote a letter. A charity event Eric works for in the States wrote a letter,” English said.

The Scottish Open gets under way on Thursday. English has Davis Thompson’s caddie, Joe Etter, filling in for him this week while he waits to hear if Larson will be able to get into the country.

However, with Thompson playing at next week’s Open at Royal Portrush, Etter will be unavailable to English.

After the bag man’s entry was denied, American Harris English may miss out on Eric Larson for the Open Championship at Royal Portrush next week.

After deciding to prevent Larson from traveling because of a drug conviction more than 30 years ago, English, the world number 19 golfer, said a letter is “sitting on someone’s desk at the government somewhere.”

Before being released in 2006, Larson spent 10 years in prison for drug-related offenses, and he has previously caddied at the Open.

However, he now requires a change to the UK’s new Electronic Travel Authority visa regulations.

English said, “I guess the United Kingdom doesn’t look at his past very highly.”

“I didn’t understand how challenging the procedure was. Someone could see that this man had something from the previous 30 years, and he’s been fine for the past 20.

How long does he have this with him?

English claimed that Warren Stephens, the US ambassador to the UK, has provided proof that the caddie was credible.

They wrote a letter to Stephens’ office. A letter was written by The R&amp, A. A letter was written by the PGA Tour. English said in a letter to a charity event Eric works for in the United States.

It’s not because of lack of effort, they say. I believe it could be somewhere on a government employee’s desk.

On Thursday, the Scottish Open will begin. While Davis Thompson waits to find out whether Larson will be able to enter the country, English has Joe Etter, Davis Thompson’s caddie, to fill in for him this week.

Etter will not be available in English because Thompson will be playing at the Royal Portrush Open next week.

Wimbledon 2025

Venue: All England Club, June 30 – 13 .

Before going to sleep tonight, Belinda Bencic is aware of what she will be thinking.

The Swiss player uses the moment to plan her strategy for her upcoming game and her upcoming opponent.

Iga Swiatek, a five-time major champion, will face her in tonight’s tense first Wimbledon semi-final.

“I’m really excited to play her,” she says. “She is a big challenge.” There have been some close fights. The 28-year-old former Olympic champion said, “I will come up with a plan.”

She said, “I’m not much of a writer, as I am.” In terms of her method of preparation. It’s more like putting some plays into my head.

It’s crucial for me to do it before I sleep, she said. I experience it unconsciously as I sleep.

Although Bencic’s 14-month-old daughter Bella is with her in London, she may not be concerned that anything will go wrong.

“I’m just being a mom at home, I don’t adjust anything.” I’ll wake up when she cries in the night, according to Bencic, who wants to become the first mother to win a Wimbledon singles title in 45 years.

“It’s not going to have an impact on my]match.”

She stated earlier at Wimbledon that she sees herself first as a mother and then as a tennis player. My family is in my mind, after all.

In the 2019 US Open semi-finals, Bianca Andreescu defeated Bencic in straight sets in the end, which would have been nearly six years since Bencic last reached the final four of a Grand Slam.

She claimed to have been surprised by how quickly the positive outcomes have arrived despite taking maternity leave from September 2023 to October 2024.

Bencic, who was ranked 489th overall, had a good year and is now projected to return to the top 20 after Wimbledon. In addition to winning the Abu Dhabi WTA 500 title in February, this year saw success.

Her daughter, who she described as “kind of unreal,” has also observed her from a balcony above court 18.

“Sometimes you realize, “Wow, I’m playing Wimbledon, I have my family here, and my daughter is actually watching me,” she said.

She won’t remember anything, which she hasn’t realized, but it’s still a very pleasant feeling.

Since Bella is too young to play on Centre Court, Bencic’s husband, who is also her fitness instructor, will miss her first game against Swiatek.

Bencic, however, would not agree with any other solution.

She continued, “No, she definitely gets the priority.” When he looks after her, I’m really happy.