Ante Budimir's second-half goal rescued Croatia's World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign with a 1-0 victory over Panama, on a night that celebrated Luka Modric's historic 200th international appearance. The 40-year-old Real Madrid midfielder became only the fourth male player to reach the milestone, joining Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Kuwait's Bader al-Mutawa.
Modric's Landmark Night
After the match, 25 Croatian players wore black T-shirts printed with "Infinite Legacy," the number 200 and an image of Modric. The captain himself quickly removed his shirt after being thrown in the air by teammates. The crowd serenaded him with chants and held signs declaring "One last dance," but Modric looked away, uncomfortable with the attention.
"It could be that Luka might want to avoid all of this, that this would not be happening all around him," said Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic. "He's very humble. He's very simple. He's not for major celebrations. But I'm very glad that we marked this occasion today and that we had a victory."
Budimir's Decisive Strike
The breakthrough came in the 54th minute when Josip Stanisic overlapped down the right and met a through ball from Marco Pasalic, whipping a cross beyond Panama goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera. Budimir, introduced at half-time, turned the ball into the net at the far post.
"We were pretty aware of our quality and the situation that we were in," said Pasalic. "What we didn't do in the first half, we did in the second half. We've been relieved of the burden and now we can move on."
Group L Implications
The victory puts Dalic's side a point behind group leaders England and Ghana. Panama, eliminated from the tournament, have yet to earn a point in five World Cup matches across the 2018 and 2026 editions. The win was vital for Croatia after a sloppy 4-2 opening defeat to England.
Panama's Defensive Resilience
Panama, managed by Thomas Christiansen, entered the match with a 5-4-1 formation designed to frustrate Croatia. Their defensive discipline held until Budimir's goal. Christiansen praised his side's effort: "They played with that hunger, with that dedication, with that spirit. That's what we wanted of the team. I'm super proud of them. They [Croatia] put two shots on goal and scored one."
The first half ended goalless with a combined xG of just 0.11 from three shots. Panama's best chance came in the 23rd minute when Jose Luis Rodriguez's header was deflected off the underside of the bar by goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.
Modric's Legacy
Modric, who has orchestrated Croatia's midfield for over two decades, was substituted in the 81st minute to a hero's ovation. His 200 caps place him among football's elite, having led Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final and a third-place finish in 2022. The nation of under 4 million citizens has punched above its weight, but the core of that team is ageing. Modric may yet add to his cap tally as Croatia face England on Saturday, with the winner likely to advance.
