Football: midfielder Luka Modric to leave Real Madrid after 13 years

Midfielder Luka Modric will leave Real Madrid after the Club World Cup it has been announced. The 39-year-old Modric will depart the La Liga giants after an “unforgettable time as a player at our club,” the club said in a statement on Thursday.

“Real Madrid wishes to express its immense gratitude and appreciation for a player who has become a true legend both of our club and world football," the statement read.

The veteran had been playing fewer minutes in recent seasons under departing coach Carlo Ancelotti, and will play his final match at the Santiago Bernabeu against Real Sociedad on Saturday.

The Club World Cup starts mid-June in the United States, where Modric will travel with his teammates for the last time as a Real Madrid player.

In a statement on social media platform Instagram, the club captain said, "The time has come. The moment I never wanted to come but that's football, and in life everything has a beginning and an end. On Saturday I will play my last match at the Santiago Bernabeu."

Modric wrote: "Playing for Real Madrid changed my life as a football player and as a person. I am proud to have been part of one of the most successful eras of the best club in history. Although, after the Club World Cup, I will no longer wear this shirt on the pitch, I will always be a Madridista."

Modric arrived at Madrid in 2012 and became a key player during one of the most successful periods in the club’s history.

In 13 seasons, Modric helped the club win 28 titles: six European Cups, six Club World Cups, five European Super Cups, four Spanish leagues, two Copas del Rey and five Spanish Super Cups.

He has also become highly decorated in individual honours; including winning the Ballon d'Or in 2018, and receiving the prestigious Marca award in 2022.

Modric turns 40 in September with details of his future beyond the summer unclear.