Real Madrid’s incoming La Liga season finale against Real Sociedad on May 24 will be Luka Modric’s last appearance at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu following a bold update on his future.
Modric’s current contract has been extended from the end of June to allow the veteran campaigner to lead Los Blancos at this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup – which could stretch into mid-July.
However, the end of that tournament will also signal the end of his Real Madrid career, as both parties have decided to sever their 13-year link.
As per reports from Cadena COPE, the club opted against a renewal offer for the 39-year-old and rejected his plea to stay for the 2025/26 campaign.
Incoming new manager Xabi Alonso reportedly wanted Modric to remain for at least another year, but the club hierarchy made their call on the midfielder’s time at the club coming to an end, with the Club World Cup viewed as a fitting farewell for him.
The decision to move Modric on has now landed before the official unveiling of Alonso as their new manager.
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The Croatia international moved to Madrid in 2012 from Tottenham and has gone on to win a whopping 28 major honours with Los Blancos, including six UEFA Champions League crowns and four La Liga titles – alongside a Ballon d’Or win in 2018.
When will Modric play his last game for Real Madrid?
Modric has been vital for Los Blancos as the heartbeat of their midfield for over a decade and he walks away an undisputed club legend.
🤍👋🏻 Luka Modrić’s letter to Real Madrid fans.
“Dear Madrid fans,
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 Bernabéu.
I arrived in 2012 with… pic.twitter.com/GTuwq5tcc3
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 22, 2025
In 13 years, he’s made 590 Real Madrid appearances, guiding the team to multiple trophies, and outlasting his former midfield partners Toni Kroos and Casemiro.
In 2024/25, he’s registered four goals and laid on nine assists in 56 matches across all competitions, as a mark of his enduring impact despite playing a limited starting role.
Despite nearing 40, his importance for Carlo Ancelotti remains strong, and the club will now look to rebuild their midfield around Jude Bellingham and Fede Valverde.
Modric will lead Real Madrid out for his final home appearance against La Real on May 24. However, he will then travel to the USA with the squad for the Club World Cup campaign, and their progress in that tournament will dictate his last-ever club game.
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