Luka Modric could break the record for most trophies at Real Madrid next week if his team beat Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup final. The two teams are set to face each other on August 14 at the National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland.
Real Madrid come into the game as last season's UEFA Champions League winners, with the 2-0 win against Borussia Dortmund culminating in Modric's 26th trophy at the club. So far, his trophy cabinet contains 6x Champions League, 4x La Liga, 5x Club World Cup, 4x UEFA Super Cup, 5x Supercopa de Espana, and 2x Copa del Rey trophies.
Nacho is also tied with Modric in that aspect, and the pair share the same honors. The Croatian superstar joined Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2012 while Nacho made his first-team debut for the club in April 2011.
Nacho, 34, no longer has the chance to extend his tally with the Santiago Bernabeu outfit. He left the club after a 23-year stay this summer, joining Saudi club Al-Qadsiyah on a free transfer.
Modric, 38, is still going strong and has one year left on his contract. He made 46 appearances across competitions last season, registering two goals and six assists as his team won the league and the Champions League.
Some would argue that this campaign may well be the last chance the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner gets if he wants to break Nacho's record.
Luka Modric has said he wants to retire at Real Madrid
Luka Modric has already admitted that he wants to retire at Real Madrid. Toni Kroos retired from the sport this summer and many thought the former Spurs midfielder could follow suit.
However, Modric penned a one-year extension last month to stay at the Bernabeu for the upcoming campaign. Speaking about his future at the club back in May, he reiterated in an interview with Cadena COPE (via ManagingMadrid):
"I have always said that I would like to retire at Real Madrid. It would be a dream to retire at home, at the club of my life, and I hope that happens. I have the physique and football to continue in the elite, I have no doubt. There has been a lot of talk about age and it bothers me. At Real Madrid the best players get on the field. Now I feel strong, but that can change in six months and if I see that I can no longer do it, I’ll be the first to admit it."
Modric could struggle to hold a regular spot in Carlo Ancelotti's XI, given the presence of Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, and Kroos' reported heir, Federico Valverde. With the signing of Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham could now play in a deeper role than he did last season.