Croatian midfielder Luka Modric will undergo surgery on a broken left cheekbone, his Serie A club AC Milan said on Monday, weeks before the 40-year-old is due to participate in his fifth World Cup.
Modric suffered the injury during a head-to-head clash with Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli in Sunday’s 0-0 draw at San Siro. He left the field with ten minutes to go.
Despite being clearly in pain, Modric remained on the bench without medical treatment until the end of the match, but following an examination he will require surgery later on Monday.
Milan are third in the standings, 12 points behind leaders Inter Milan with four games to go, and Modric is unsure whether he will feature at all in the pre-season. He may need a protective mask if he recovers in time for the World Cup.
The World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, starts on June 11, with Croatia taking on England, Ghana and Panama in Group L.
Published on April 27, 2026
