Why is Luka Modric not starting for Croatia vs Spain in Matchday 2 of the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League?

Luka Modric has been left out of Croatia’s starting lineup for the trip to face World Cup winners Spain in Seville, with Slaven Bilic opting to manage the 41-year-old’s workload during a demanding four-match international window. Modric started and scored in Croatia’s opening win over Czechia, but will begin this one on the bench.

The decision lines up with a plan reportedly relayed by Gazzetta dello Sport even before this window began: start Modric against Czechia, rest him against Spain, and then decide later whether he’s needed from the first minute against England or in the rematch with Spain in October. Croatia faces all four of those matches inside this single break, making careful management essential for a player of Modric’s age.

There’s added incentive to protect him given his club situation, with AC Milan and manager Ruben Amorim hoping for a fully fit Modric once a demanding fixture schedule resumes after the international break. Bilic has made clear he intends to keep leaning on his experience without running him into the ground across four matches in such a short span.

Despite the plan to manage his minutes, Bilic has acknowledged that convincing Modric himself is often the hardest part of the equation, since the veteran has never been content simply to coast through appearances.

Whether he comes on at some point against Spain or waits for the next fixture, Modric’s influence on this Croatia squad remains as significant as ever, even in a reduced role.

Modric keeps making history at 41

Modric’s opener in that 2-1 win over Czechia made him Croatia’s oldest ever goalscorer, netting his 30th international goal with a right-footed strike from outside the box in the 47th minute.

The record adds to an already remarkable late-career run for Modric, who continues to produce at an age when most players have long since retired from international football. It’s precisely that kind of workload, performing at a high level across long minutes, that has Bilic and Milan both eager to manage his appearances carefully through this stretch of matches.