9/7/2025–|Last update: 19:04 (Mecca time)
The history of football is filled with many paradoxes of all kinds, whether beautiful, positive or negative, one of which was lived by the fans of the game during the World Cup Clubs Championships currently held in the United States, which approaches the finish line.
Before the start of one of the matches in the exclusionary roles, football gathered two old friends who did not meet on the field for nearly two decades.
Talking here about the veteran Croatian star Real Madrid and his compatriot Igor Tudor, the Italian coach, who retired from football in 2008 in the colors of the Croatian club Heidok Split.
This happened in the match that brought Real Madrid Puvintos on July 1 at the Hard Rock Stadium, in the final round of the club’s World Cup.
Luka Modric with Igor Tudor, Juventus’ Coach and Former Teammate.
2025 / 2006. 🫱🏻🫲🏼🇭🇷 pic.twitter.com/x11NM35Ms1
– Madrid Xtra (@Madridxtra) July 1, 2025
This match was an opportunity to retrieve the memories of the past between the two men, which dates back 19 years ago, specifically in 2006, although they did not coincide throughout their professional career with a specific club, this happened internationally in the colors of the Croatian national team.
Tudor and Modric met the green rectangle in 4 international matches, and then they were 28 and 21 years in a row, 177 minutes, according to data of the famous transformer site specialized in players and club statistics.
During these four matches, the two players led their country to win in two of them in exchange for a single defeat and a draw.
Next the matches in which Tudor played alongside Modric:
- Croatia 3-2 Argentina is a friendly match held on March 1, 2006.
- Austria 1-4 Croatia is a friendly match held on May 23, 2006.
- Croatia 1-2 Spain is a friendly match held on June 7, 2006.
- Croatia 2-2 Australia in the group stage of the 2006 World Cup was held on June 22, 2006.
In fact, Tudor did not hide his happiness with the opportunity to meet Modric again despite the difference in the nature of their work now, and he also has the expressions of praise and compliment.
“In a country like Croatia, which does not exceed 4 million people, a person like Luka is born every 300 years. It is a source of pride for all of our country,” Tudor said at the press conference before the Juventus and Real Madrid match.
He also stressed that everyone in Croatia and outside it knows Modric as an amazing football player, but not everyone realizes the extent of his humility and kindness outside the field.
“I love him a lot and I hope he will continue to enjoy the game, as he is only forty years old,” Juventus coach concluded with a smile.
It is noteworthy that Juventus bid farewell to the World Cup club after the loss from Real Madrid 0-1, while Modric continues his last adventure with the Royal Club.
Real Madrid faces its counterpart Paris Saint -Germain in the Club World Cup semi -finals at Mettlav Stadium at 10:00 Mecca time and Doha.
Modric’s march with Real Madrid is scheduled to end after the World Cup clubs, where the veteran player will then move to Milan, Italy, and he will meet Tudor at least twice in the next season 2025-2026 if no emergency happens.
Source: Websites + social media sites