Actual Madrid veteran Luka Modric is doubtlessly simply days away from making historical past, along with his subsequent look set to interrupt the all-time report because the membership’s oldest participant, which is at present held by Ferenc Puskas.
The evergreen Modric celebrated his thirty ninth birthday final month however has nonetheless performed an element in each Madrid recreation throughout all competitions up to now this season, beginning 5 of 9 La Liga fixtures. He’s much more vital for Croatia, taking part in 90 minutes in opposition to Scotland and Poland, 77 in opposition to Portugal, and is about for the same run out in opposition to Poland on Tuesday night time.
Modric is already Madrid’s oldest ever participant in a La Liga recreation, overtaking Puskas from his ultimate league outing in November 1965. Modric broke that report when he confronted Cadiz in Might on the age of 38 years and 238 days. His quite a few appearances since have solely prolonged it additional.
Now, with Madrid as a result of face Celta Vigo when membership soccer resumes this coming weekend, Modric will surpass Puskas once more because the membership’s oldest participant in any competitors.
Puskas was aged 39 years and 36 days in his ultimate Madrid look on 8 Might 1966, a Copa del Generalisimo (now the Copa del Rey) quarter-final first leg defeat to Actual Betis. The ‘Galloping Main’, having performed in La Liga for the final time six months earlier, wasn’t then concerned when Los Blancos received the European Cup for the sixth time just a few days later.
If Modric options in opposition to Celta Vigo in any capability as anticipated, he can be 39 years and 40 days. Even when he does not get on the pitch for that individual recreation, he’ll proceed to play a major half all through the remainder of the season and the report will quickly go.
Puskas is a Madrid legend however did not truly be part of the membership till 1958 when he was already 31 years of age. His glittering profession was splintered by a refusal to return to Hungary following a suppressed rebellion whereas on a European Cup away journey for Honved in Spain in 1956.
He was finally banned from taking part in by UEFA for 2 years and ultimately signed with Madrid when that suspension expired. Manchester United had been within the wake of the Munich air catastrophe however have been foiled by FA guidelines, whereas no golf equipment in Italy have been ready to gamble on him.
Everybody else’s loss was Madrid’s achieve, with even an ageing Puskas pretty much as good as ever. He went on to attain 242 objectives in 262 appearances throughout eight years, most famously netting 4 occasions within the 1960 European Cup ultimate in opposition to Eintracht Frankfurt in Glasgow.
