Croatia will leave Qatar with their heads held high after securing third place on Saturday, beating Morocco 2-1 in an excitement-filled affair at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. One of the biggest storylines surrounding this side has been the future of legendary midfielder Luka Modric, who once again, showed just why he's one of the best around and the heartbeat of the Croatian team. While many believe this will likely be Modric's final time playing in the world's biggest tournament, the Real Madrid isn't quite ready to hang the boots up yet with his country.

Via Fabrizio Romano:

Luka Modrić on next steps for future: “Retirement? I want to play the Nations League with Croatia again, and then we'll see”

There is hope that Modric could feature for Croatia in the 2024 Euros. He'd be 39 years old at that point. But given the way he tirelessly runs around the pitch and seemingly never runs out of gas, it wouldn't be a total surprise.

The UEFA Nations League Semifinals feature Croatia, Spain, the Netherlands, and Italy. The draw takes place in January but the competition doesn't proceed until June. Modric played all seven matches for Zlatko Dalic's squad at the World Cup, logging a mind-boggling 656 minutes. Although he didn't score or assist any goals, the 37-year-old was a workhorse in the middle of the park.

Now, Luka Modric shifts his focus to Madrid as they look to repeat as La Liga and UCL champions. If this is the last we've seen of Modric on the biggest stage in football, it's been a treat. A true icon for the Croatian people and the prime example that anything is truly possible with hard work, even when you're raised in a war zone.