Modric at AC Milan to ‘stay competitive and in Europe' at 40
Croatia captain Luka Modric said yesterday he had penned a one-year contract with AC Milan to 'stay competitive and in Europe'.
'I'm happy to be here and I look forward to a new adventure,' the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner told AC Milan's TV channel after joining from Real Madrid.
Modric, who turns 40 in September, joined the Spanish giants from Tottenham i n 2012, going on to win six Champions Leagues, four La Liga titles and two Copa del Rey trophies.
'I wanted to stay in Europe, to continue playing competitive football. I had some other offers but when Milan showed up for me it was clear from the first moment,' he said.
Milan finished a disappointing eighth in Serie A last season and will not play in European competition.
But Modric insisted Milan remain 'one of the biggest clubs in Europe'.
'Milan cannot be satisfied with average and needs to have the biggest goals possible, to win titles, to compete with the best teams in the world, that's why I am here.' Modric signed a one-year contract, with an option for an additional season with the seven-time Champions League and 19-time Serie A winners.
'I'm never satisfied, I always want more,' he warned . 'When you've experienced that feeling (of winning), you want to feel it even more. I still have hunger, desire, still wanting more.'
To explain his longevity, Modric said 'the most important thing is the love for the game, for football'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Tribune
3 days ago
- Daily Tribune
Venus Williams wins doubles comeback match at DC Open
AFP | Washington Seven-time Grand Slam single champion Venus Williams returned to competitive tennis after a 16-month hiatus on Monday with a doubles victory at the WTA and ATP DC Open. The 45-year-old American joined compatriot Hailey Baptiste to defeat Canada's Eugenie Bouchard and US teen Clervie Ngounoue 6-3, 6-1 in a firstround match. 'After the match Hailey asked me, 'How did that feel?' It's probably even harder to play the doubles first because I'm not a doubles player,' Williams said. 'So it's great to have her to kind of hold the team up. She has had the experience. She served first because she has been playing all year and playing well. I think that helped me a lot. 'I think also just to get the feel for the ball. Obviously singles I have a little more experience even though doubles I have had some great results. 'It's just nice to be able to play. Where I am at this year is so much different where I was at last year. It's night and day, being able to be here and prepare for the tournament as opposed to preparing for surgery a year ago.' Williams was set to make her return to singles later yesterday in the main court night feature match against American Peyton Stearns. A crowd of about 3,000 spectators watched the doubles match, including NBA star Kevin Durant, who is from Washington. 'We were both so focused and after the match, I was, like, 'Did you see Kevin Durant walk in?' She was, like, 'Yeah,'' Williams said. Fans chanting 'K-D' made it tough for Baptiste to focus but she was happy to have a famous fan in the stands. 'It's sick that he came out to support us,' she said. 'It's really cool.' 'I was, like, 'I want to show KD what I can do. Hit the ball to me,'' Williams said. 'They hit every ball to you. I was, like, OK, whatever. However we win is fine.'
Daily Tribune
19-07-2025
- Daily Tribune
Fraud probe opened into Mbappe payments to police officers
AFP | Paris An investigation has been opened into potentially fraudulent payments made by Kylian Mbappe to five police officers assigned to protect the French national football team, the public prosecutor's office said. The probe comes after a tip-off from the French finance ministry's antimoney laundering unit, which reported 'unusual financial transactions' benefitting the five police officers. 'Investigations, which are by their very nature complex in the case of financial transactions, are underway in order to establish whether any criminal offences have been committed,' the public prosecutor's office said. French investigative weekly Le Canard Enchaine on Wednesday reported that the France national team captain's money was used to 'pay under the table for private services', to the tune of 180,300 euros ($209,000). The Real Madrid striker's entourage issued a statement saying 'everything was done in compliance with the rules'. It added that Mbappe had 'always chosen to donate in full his bonuses' for playi n g for France at international level. 'It's what he did after the 2022 World Cup, with complete transparency,' the statement continued, saying the money went to charitable organisations and security personnel that accompanied the team.
Daily Tribune
19-07-2025
- Daily Tribune
Martin returns for Czech MotoGP
AFP | Brno Reigning world champion Jorge Martin of Spain will return to racing at the Czech MotoGP this weekend as the Brno circuit hosts its first grand prix since 2020. Marc Marquez is threatening to run away with the title after four straight wins, which have allowed the Spaniard to open up a sizeable gap at the top. The 32-year-old factory Ducati rider has 344 points after 11 of 22 races, and he has won both the sprint and the main race on seven occasions. His younger brother Alex, on a Gresini Ducati, is second with 261 points, ahead of Marc's Italian teammate Francesco Bagnaia -- the 2022 and 2023 world champion -- with 197. But it is Martin, who has yet to score his first point this season, that will likely steal the limelight on the circuit in the second Czech city of Brno. Martin sat out the first three races following two pre-season crashes and when he returned at Qatar in April, he crashed heavily again and missed the next seven races. 'I feel prepared. In terms of the physical condition, I feel better than any time in my life for sure,' the 27-year-old Martin said having recovered from 11 broken ribs. 'I took profit of this time off to work on my performance, and I feel I am a better and more prepared rider now,' he added. 'I don't want to speculate on results... What I can say is that I'm here to compete, I'm not here to make laps. I'm here to do my best.' Martin also said on Thursday he would stay with Aprilia for the 2026 season, dispelling doubts about his future. He had been at odds with the Italian manufacturer after initially saying he intended to activate a release clause in his contract at the end of the season. Brno is returning to the MotoGP calendar for the first time since 2020 after years of financial woes. 'Two seconds faster' Marquez, who stretched his championship lead after a perfect weekend at the Sachsenring in Germany, hailed Martin's return. 'Good for MotoGP, good for the championship, good for Aprilia and especially good for him to be back on track,' he told 'Of course it will take time. You never know with Martin, but he will be fast in the second part of the season.' Marquez has won three MotoGP races at Brno, in 2013, 2017 and 2019, but he sat out the last edition in 2020 with a broken arm as Brad Binder stunned the pack to take his maiden MotoGP win. Marquez holds the fastest lap time of 1min 54.596sec from 2016 and will be looking to improve it on the resurfaced 5.4-kilometre track as forecasters promise a mostly sunny weekend. 'It looks like some manufacturers tested two or three weeks ago and yeah, it looks like they were already two seconds faster,' Marquez said. He is eyeing his seventh MotoGP world title -- and first since 2019 -- that would put him level with the legendary Valentino Rossi. Maverick Vinales, recovering from a shoulder fracture, will be replaced by Pol Espargaro at Brno, while Franco Morbidelli is also out following a bone-crunching crash in Germany. The MotoGP circus will take a summer break after this weekend and resume with the Austrian GP on August 15-17.
