Milan: Amorim Eyes Ballon d'Or Winner's Future After Forgettable Match

Luka Modric endured a night to forget in Croatia's 2026 World Cup opener, conceding a penalty and being substituted before the hour mark in their 4-2 defeat to England.

His World Cup debut was marred by an uncharacteristic error from the Croatian captain: an unnecessary foul on Madueke inside the box, leading to an English penalty. Although Livakovic initially saved Harry Kane's spot-kick, VAR ordered a retake, and the English striker made no mistake on his second attempt. This goal paved the way for England's victory.

Modric himself openly admitted his mistake: "The penalty was there, I kicked it carelessly. Unfortunately, I didn't see him, it was a lapse in concentration."

This performance comes at a crucial juncture for the player. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Modric views this World Cup as a personal assessment to decide his next career move. With at least two more games ahead – he's set to reach a historic 200 international caps in the next match – the midfielder will have his future on his mind. And one person certainly paying close attention is Ruben Amorim.

AC Milan has been plagued by instability and, more importantly, has been absent from the Champions League. Ruben Amorim was brought in to change this, but this paradigm shift at the club, occurring during the World Cup, doesn't alleviate the uncertainty surrounding the 40-year-old midfielder's future (he turns 41 on September 9th).

These changes have left Modric without direct contacts at Milan, the Gazzetta also reports, with the exception of a few calls with Ibrahimovic, who also pushed for Amorim's hiring. Thus, while Milan observes from a distance, the future of one of football's greatest stars remains an enigma.