Croatia v Spain Tips: Luka Modric targets Nations League glory in last-chance saloon
By Joe Crann
Nations League Final Odds16 June 2023
Luka Modric has had a club career that most footballers can only dream of. Now he has one last chance to add a new piece of international silverware to his trophy cabinet as Croatia face Spain in Sunday’s Nations League final.
Many had expected 37-year-old Modric to retire from international football when the 2022 World Cup came to an end after picking up his bronze medal, four years after he had ended things in Russia with a runners-up trophy.
But the Real Madrid man is still going strong and he will face a few of his club teammates as rivals Spain look to clinch the Nations League trophy at the second time of asking following their defeat in the 2021 final against France.
Football expert Joe Crann is on hand to preview the upcoming encounter as one nation looks to complete their collection of major honours while the other bids to get theirs started.
Better late than never
Spain and Croatia left things late in their respective semi-final match earlier in the week. The Croatians required extra time to see off the Netherlands with a 4-2 scoreline, while the Spaniards grabbed an 88th-minute winner against Italy.
Quite incredibly, there were nine goals scored across the two matches but not a single player managed to net more than once. Modric was, of course, the oldest of the nine players, while 20-year-old Yeremy Pino was the youngest - a whopping 17 years separates the two.
Spain head into the final as favourites (2.04 to win in 90 minutes), but Croatia to lift the trophy (2.66) could be interesting given their habit of taking things into extra time or penalties in recent years.
Which side does history favour?
The 2023 Nations League final will be the tenth meeting between these two nations since they first faced off in a friendly back in 1994.
Croatia won that meeting 2-0, but they have seen a downturn in fortune since then with five losses from eight encounters against the Spaniards, which includes a European Championships knockout game in 2021.
In an impressive testament to the longevity of his career, Modric has actually played in six of the nine games between the two going back to the year that he made his international debut in 2006.
The form guide
Zlatko Dalić’s side is the most consistent with just two defeats in all competition since that aforementioned Euros loss to La Roja in 2021. Croatia have scored in all but five of their last 26 matches stretching back to the start of the 2021/22 season.
Spain, meanwhile, have somewhat plodded their way through the last 12 months. They have lost to Switzerland, Japan, Morocco and Scotland along the way - and their win over Gli Azzurri on Thursday made it just two wins in six games for a nation that not too long ago was dominating international competitions.
Luis de la Fuente has got Joselu firing on the international stage after a strong campaign for Espanyol, and he’s priced at 2.68 to get his fourth goal in four games this weekend. Andrej Kramaric (3.95) is possibly the best option for the men in red and white, with the Hoffenheim striker targeting his 25th goal for his country.