World Cup success would crown my career: Croatia's Luka Modric

Croatia international Luka Modric says that after winning multiple titles with Real Madrid the last challenge he faces is to help his country make a good showing in the 2018 World Cup, Croatian news agency Hina reported Monday.

"A great result with the national team is the only thing I still want to achieve," the midfielder said Sunday night as he accepted the award as best Croatian footballer for the sixth consecutive year, according to Hina.

He said that the squad's first objective is to make it out of the group stage into the round of 16, "since we haven't achieved that since 1998," the Croatia captain said.

"But I believe we will achieve it in Russia," Modric added.

The team left Zagreb early Monday for the town that will be their home during the World Cup tournament in Russia: Zelenogorsk, some 60 km (36 mi) from St. Petersburg.

Croatia are drawn in Group D, along with Argentina, Iceland, and Nigeria.