Luka Modric, the iconic Croatia midfielder, celebrates his 41st birthday on Wednesday but remains committed to his international career. The Croatia FA has confirmed that Modric will continue to represent the national team in the upcoming Nations League matches, including a highly anticipated clash against England.

This decision aligns with the return of Slaven Bilic as manager, who previously guided Modric during his early international career from 2006 to 2012. Modric earned his first senior cap in March 2006, just as Bilic took the helm, and has since made a remarkable 202 appearances for his country.

Initially, it was expected that Modric would retire following the summer's World Cup, where Zlatko Dalic's squad was eliminated in the last 32 by Portugal. However, Bilic expressed his delight at Modric's choice, stating:

"Of course, Luka's decision makes me extremely happy. We are all aware what he brings to Croatia, both on and off the pitch. I'm looking forward to working with him again, after 14 years, and we both share a strong ambition to keep Croatia a top, successful team, shoulder to shoulder with the best teams in the world."

Currently playing for AC Milan, Modric previously won the Golden Ball at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where Croatia reached the final, ultimately losing to France. He also played a key role in helping Croatia secure a third-place finish in Qatar four years later.

Looking ahead, Croatia's upcoming Nations League fixtures include:

• Away against Czech Republic on 26 September
• Away against Spain on 29 September
• Hosting England on 3 October
• Return fixture at Wembley on 12 November.