Is the Ballon d'Or winner past his prime? At 40, Modrić conceded a penalty early and was substituted in the 58th minute, with four key stats at zero and a rating of only 6.

In a key Group L match of the World Cup that concluded on June 18, Beijing time, Croatia, the previous tournament's third-place finisher, lost 2-4 to England, suffering an opening defeat. In this game, Croatian captain Modrić, playing in his fifth World Cup, performed poorly, giving away a penalty early and being substituted early in the second half.

In this match, the 40-year-old Modrić started, becoming the eighth player to appear in at least five World Cups.

However, after a poor season with Milan and struggles with injuries, Modrić's first game in this World Cup was quite disappointing.

Just nine minutes into the match, Modrić recklessly tripped Madueke in the box, resulting in a penalty. Although Livaković initially saved Kane's spot kick, after the retake due to an infringement, he could not repeat the heroics. Modrić's error put Croatia on the back foot from the start.

After that, Modrić tried to make amends, but the midfield maestro seemed to lack the energy. According to post-match statistics, Modrić had zero shots, zero key passes, zero tackles, zero interceptions, 33 touches with two loss of possession, one foul, and one penalty conceded, earning a low rating of 6.

In the 58th minute, Dalić substituted Modrić with Kovačić. Being replaced so early clearly showed Modrić's own dissatisfaction with his performance.

Of course, Dalić might also think that losing to England is not a major issue. It is more important to let Modrić play a role in the upcoming two matches against Ghana and Panama.