Following a tough opening day defeat to England, Croatia find themselves level at half-time in a must-win Group L encounter against Panama.

However, the occasion remains particularly special for their captain, Luka Modrić, who is marking a historic milestone in his illustrious career.

At 40 years of age, Modrić is making his 200th international appearance for Croatia, a remarkable achievement that places him among an elite group of football icons.

With this appearance, the veteran midfielder joins Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Argentina’s Lionel Messi, and Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa as the only male footballers in history to have earned 200 international caps.

After a cautious first half in Toronto, Croatia may once again need to rely on Modrić’s exceptional vision and creativity in midfield to find a breakthrough against Thomas Christiansen’s well-organised Panama side.