Croatia captain Luka Modric, the man who seems to get better by age, received a standing ovation from thousands of Turkey supporters on Tuesday night.
The 37-year-old has received standing ovations on numerous occasions this season. Back in September, large sections of Celtic Park stood up to applaud the Real Madrid midfielder after he dropped a Champions League masterclass.
And more recently, a ton of Liverpool fans showed their appreciation for Modric when he replaced Toni Kroos in the 87th minute of their 5-2 victory at Anfield.
It has become somewhat of a regular occurrence of late, especially on the road.
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And on Tuesday evening, during Croatia's 2-0 win over Turkey in Euro 2024 qualifying, the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner was applauded again by sections of the Bursa Buyuksehir Belediye stadium.
As he made his way off the pitch to replace Lovro Majer, thousands of Turkey fans made their feelings known.
One fan commented on the moment, saying: "Another standing ovation for Luka Modric. His eighth this season. True greatness," while another wrote: "This man is getting standing ovations everywhere from everyone. He's simply eternal man."
A brace from Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic helped Croatia climb to first in Group D with four points from two games, but it was the performance of Modric that got the biggest applause of the night.
Back in December, during the World Cup in Qatar, Modric received a spine-tingling ovation from all corners of the Lusail Stadium as he left the field during Croatia's semi-final defeat to Argentina.
As soon as the official held up their substitute board, a large section of fans decided to put their hands together for the experienced midfielder, who looked emotional as he replaced Majer.
Modric, who has made 164 appearances for Croatia since making his debut against Argentina in 2006, said he had "no reason to retire" after this winter's tournament.
“No, I won't leave the national team," he said while out in Qatar. "I feel very fit, very good and I'll stay here until I can. There's no reason to retire. It's my choice.
"People say I should leave and focus on club football. I don't agree.”
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Topics: Luka Modric, Croatia, Turkey, Euro 2024
Jack Kenmare