The curtain comes across a legend. Luka Modrić will play his last match in the colors of Real Madrid on May 24, 2025 against Real Sociedad, in what promises to be an evening full of emotions … and unsaid. If the formalization of his departure is already painful for Madrid supporters, behind the scenes of this separation reveal a much more complex reality than a simple “goodbye to the end of the contract”.
At 39, the Croatian maestro wanted to extend the adventure until 2026, even if it means dividing his salary by two. A clear will: continue to evolve at the highest level in order to remain competitive for the 2026 World Cup in North America. According to information from Fabrizio Romano, Modrić attempted everything – internal discussions, gestures of appeasement, or even economic compromises. But Real’s response was cold, almost administrative:no renewal, “final” decision.
This refusal would not only be a question of age or sports strategy. Several sources close to the club evokegrowing tensions within the locker roomAnd with management, especially after a series of strategic disagreements at the end of the season. According to certain indiscretions, Modrić expressed his misunderstanding in the face of the increasingly marginal role which was imposed on him, despite his solid performance when he was established.
A tense episode would have taken place after a match against Girona, where the Croatian international, replacing the last minute, would have left the stadium without welcoming certain staff members. Although the incident was minimized in public, it would have sealed the fracture between the player and the management.
President Florentino Pérez, interviewed half-word about the case, simply said:“We respect Luka a lot, but Real is still looking to the future.”A statement that sounds almost like a sentence.
And yet, what about the results of this extraordinary player? Arrived in 2012 from Tottenham for 35 million euros – a sum deemed excessive at the time – Modrić thwarted all the forecasts. After a difficult first season where he had been elected “worse recruit of the year” in Liga, he became the soul of the Merengue midfielder, stacking the trophies:5 champions leagues, 4 liga, 5 world clubs, without forgetting the 2018 Golden Ball, which broke the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly.
With590 appearances in the white jersey, Modrić leaves behind a colossal heritage. His elegance ball at the foot, his vision of the game, his tactical intelligence and his humility on the ground will remain engraved in the memory of socios. Even his younger teammates talk about him as a “silent mentor”.
So what follow -up for him? Rumors evoke a possible departure to a less demanding championship-perhaps the Emirates, perhaps the United States. Others already imagine it on the bench, in an assistant role, or even at the head of the Croatian selection in the near future.
At any rate,Bernabéu is about to live a historic eveningMay 24. The applause that will resonate that evening will not just say goodbye to a player. They will pay tribute toA living legend, to a man who had Real Madrid shine in all its splendor. And for many, this forced separation will remain like an open injury in the history of the club.
