<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/real-madrid">Real Madrid</a>'s Croatian midfielder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/luka-modric">Luka Modric</a> said Thursday he would leave the Spanish giants after the Club World Cup this summer."Everything in life has a start and an end... on Saturday I will play my last match at the Santiago Bernabeu," said Modric, 39, in a post on Instagram, as he reaches the end of his contract with Los Blancos.&nbsp;"I'm leaving with a full heart, filled with pride, gratitude and unforgettable memories.&nbsp;"And even though, after the Club World Cup, I'm no longer going to wear this shirt on the pitch, I will always be a Madrid fan."&nbsp;The Croatian has played nearly 600 games for Real Madrid since joining from Tottenham in 2012, winning the Champions League six times, the Copa del Rey twice and four La Liga titles among 28 trophies in total.&nbsp;Modric struggled at the start of his Madrid career after a move worth around 35 million euros ($40 million) but quickly found his footing and developed into one of the world's best midfielders.&nbsp;Modric, who became Madrid captain last summer, won the Ballon d'Or in 2018 for his performances with Madrid and also his country, as Croatia finished as runners-up at the World Cup in Russia.&nbsp;"Throughout these years I've experienced incredible moments, comebacks that seemed impossible, finals, celebrations and magical nights at the Bernabeu," continued Modric.&nbsp;“We won it all, and I was very happy. Very, very happy.”<h2>‘Unforgettable era’ &nbsp;</h2>Modric signed a one-year contract extension until June 30, 2025 last summer, but may stay a few days beyond that if Madrid progress from their Club World Cup group as expected. The tournament finishes on July 13.&nbsp;"Real Madrid and our captain Luka Modric have agreed to end an unforgettable era... after the Club World Cup that our team will compete in from June 18 in the United States," said Madrid in a statement.&nbsp;"Real Madrid want to show their gratitude and affection to someone who is one of the biggest legends at our club and in world football...&nbsp;"Modric is one of the five players who, in the whole of football history, has managed to win six European Cups, and he is the player with the most trophies in 123 years of Real Madrid's existence."&nbsp;The midfielder scored 43 goals for Madrid in 590 games, and is the club's ninth-highest appearance maker. Former striker Raul is first with 741 games.&nbsp;"Modric will always stay in the hearts of all Madrid fans as a unique and exemplary footballer, who has always represented Madrid's values," said Madrid president Florentino Perez.&nbsp;"Madrid fans and all fans in the world fell in love with his football, his legacy will remain forever."&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Luka Modric confirms Real Madrid exit after Club World Cup

Real Madrid's Croatian midfielder Luka Modric said Thursday he would leave the Spanish giants after the Club World Cup this summer. "Everything in life has a start and an end... on Saturday I will play my last match at the Santiago Bernabeu," said Modric, 39, in a post on Instagram, as he reaches the end of his contract with Los Blancos. "I'm leaving with a full heart, filled with pride, gratitude and unforgettable memories. "And even though, after the Club World Cup, I'm no longer going to wear this shirt on the pitch, I will always be a Madrid fan." The Croatian has played nearly 600 games for Real Madrid since joining from Tottenham in 2012, winning the Champions League six times, the Copa del Rey twice and four La Liga titles among 28 trophies in total. Modric struggled at the start of his Madrid career after a move worth around 35 million euros ($40 million) but quickly found his footing and developed into one of the world's best midfielders. Modric, who became Madrid captain last summer, won the Ballon d'Or in 2018 for his performances with Madrid and also his country, as Croatia finished as runners-up at the World Cup in Russia. "Throughout these years I've experienced incredible moments, comebacks that seemed impossible, finals, celebrations and magical nights at the Bernabeu," continued Modric. “We won it all, and I was very happy. Very, very happy.” ‘Unforgettable era’ Modric signed a one-year contract extension until June 30, 2025 last summer, but may stay a few days beyond that if Madrid progress from their Club World Cup group as expected. The tournament finishes on July 13. "Real Madrid and our captain Luka Modric have agreed to end an unforgettable era... after the Club World Cup that our team will compete in from June 18 in the United States," said Madrid in a statement. "Real Madrid want to show their gratitude and affection to someone who is one of the biggest legends at our club and in world football... "Modric is one of the five players who, in the whole of football history, has managed to win six European Cups, and he is the player with the most trophies in 123 years of Real Madrid's existence." The midfielder scored 43 goals for Madrid in 590 games, and is the club's ninth-highest appearance maker. Former striker Raul is first with 741 games. "Modric will always stay in the hearts of all Madrid fans as a unique and exemplary footballer, who has always represented Madrid's values," said Madrid president Florentino Perez. "Madrid fans and all fans in the world fell in love with his football, his legacy will remain forever." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

The Croatian has played nearly 600 games for Real Madrid since joining from Tottenham in 2012, winning the Champions League six times, the Copa del Rey twice and four La Liga titles among 28 trophies in total.

The internet says football veteran <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/cristiano-ronaldo">Cristiano Ronaldo</a> is 40 years old, but is that true? Tests done by a technology company revealed Ronaldo is much younger than that. The question is, how much younger?&nbsp;Per the latest reports, a technology company checked Ronaldo’s biological age, only to find out that he is more than 11 years younger than he is now, making him 28.9 years old.&nbsp; &nbsp;Whoop - a tech company specialized in fitness trackers and health monitoring devices and has Ronaldo as their brand ambassador, measured his physiological data like heart rate and heart rate variability that then gave information into his exertion, recovery and sleep to figure out Ronaldo’s biological age. &nbsp;Speaking on the Whoop podcast, Ronaldo expressed excitement about knowing his biological age, which is way younger than his actual age. The Portuguese legend even joked about playing for another ten years after learning the results of his biological age.&nbsp; &nbsp;“I don’t believe it’s so good: my age is 28.9 years,” he said to the host. "That means I’m going to be playing football for another 10 years!” &nbsp;Shedding more light on his mantra of staying this fit for over two decades now, Ronaldo revealed he walks around 17,000 steps in a day and sleeps up to seven hours, maintaining a healthy lifestyle.&nbsp; &nbsp;“That’s how I live my life: I always move, football or playing with kids. So, I am not surprised. &nbsp;“Sleep is probably the most important tool that I have. Only moment in day you can recover and settle everything. Great night of sleep is important in life in terms of health span. I go to bed around 11-12 and wake up at 8.30-8.45 am,” Ronaldo revealed.&nbsp; &nbsp;Explaining the perks of getting ample sleep, Ronaldo added,&nbsp; &nbsp;“When you are younger, you think you are unbreakable. By age, the football demands physically a lot on the body. You have to managed that. You have to be smart and do things differently. I have learned from time and with my experience, and adjust year by year.” &nbsp;Meanwhile, Ronaldo continues to make headlines in the football world. With his contract with Saudi Pro-League club Al-Nassr about to end this summer, the rumours of an unnamed Brazilian club offering an ‘off-market offer’ partly funded by outside investors are doing the rounds on social media. Though a Marca (the newspaper) report didn’t name the team that offered him the contract, it suggested that the transfer could allow Ronaldo to appear at the Club World Cup.&nbsp;

17,000 steps a day more than 7 hours of sleep Cristiano Ronaldo on being physiologically 11 years younger

The internet says football veteran Cristiano Ronaldo is 40 years old, but is that true? Tests done by a technology company revealed Ronaldo is much younger than that. The question is, how much younger? Per the latest reports, a technology company checked Ronaldo’s biological age, only to find out that he is more than 11 years younger than he is now, making him 28.9 years old. Whoop - a tech company specialized in fitness trackers and health monitoring devices and has Ronaldo as their brand ambassador, measured his physiological data like heart rate and heart rate variability that then gave information into his exertion, recovery and sleep to figure out Ronaldo’s biological age. Speaking on the Whoop podcast, Ronaldo expressed excitement about knowing his biological age, which is way younger than his actual age. The Portuguese legend even joked about playing for another ten years after learning the results of his biological age. “I don’t believe it’s so good: my age is 28.9 years,” he said to the host. "That means I’m going to be playing football for another 10 years!” Shedding more light on his mantra of staying this fit for over two decades now, Ronaldo revealed he walks around 17,000 steps in a day and sleeps up to seven hours, maintaining a healthy lifestyle. “That’s how I live my life: I always move, football or playing with kids. So, I am not surprised. “Sleep is probably the most important tool that I have. Only moment in day you can recover and settle everything. Great night of sleep is important in life in terms of health span. I go to bed around 11-12 and wake up at 8.30-8.45 am,” Ronaldo revealed. Explaining the perks of getting ample sleep, Ronaldo added, “When you are younger, you think you are unbreakable. By age, the football demands physically a lot on the body. You have to managed that. You have to be smart and do things differently. I have learned from time and with my experience, and adjust year by year.” Meanwhile, Ronaldo continues to make headlines in the football world. With his contract with Saudi Pro-League club Al-Nassr about to end this summer, the rumours of an unnamed Brazilian club offering an ‘off-market offer’ partly funded by outside investors are doing the rounds on social media. Though a Marca (the newspaper) report didn’t name the team that offered him the contract, it suggested that the transfer could allow Ronaldo to appear at the Club World Cup.

Shedding light on his mantra of staying this fit for over two decades now, Ronaldo revealed he walks around 17,000 steps a day and sleeps up to seven hours, maintaining a healthy lifestyle.&nbsp;

17,000 steps a day, more than 7 hours of sleep – Cristiano Ronaldo on being ‘physiologically 11 years younger’

Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann on Thursday recalled goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen in a heavily changed squad for the upcoming Nations League semi-finals. Nagelsmann made 10 changes, including naming two debutants, in his 26-man squad for the June fixtures. Midfielder Jamal Musiala, defenders Antonio Rudiger and Nico Schlotterbeck and forward Kai Havertz are among the notable absentees to miss out due to injury.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/captain-bruno-fernandes-offers-to-leave-manchester-united-to-help-club-rebuild-tottenham-hotspur-europa-league-final-1747909227753">Captain Fernandes offers to leave Manchester United to help club rebuild</a>&nbsp;The coach said the bulging casualty ward was "extremely bitter" but said he did not want to take any risks with the injured players.&nbsp;Sidelined since September, Ter Stegen will return between the sticks, with Nagelsmann saying Thursday the Barcelona shot-stopper is "in top shape" and "our number one."&nbsp;The goalie has made two league starts for Barcelona since his return from injury.&nbsp;Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz returns to the team, having missed the March fixtures with injury, as does West Ham striker Niclas Fuellkrug.&nbsp;Midfielder Tom Bischoff, who will move from Hoffenheim to Bayern Munich in the summer, along with Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade, have been called up to a senior Germany squad for the first time.&nbsp;The coach praised the 1.98-metre-tall Woltemade's "extraordinary skills", saying he has "momentum totally on his side right now".&nbsp;Nagelsmann also recalled Bayern Munich duo Serge Gnabry and Aleksandar Pavlovic, along with Borussia Dortmund's Waldemar Anton and Felix Nmecha. Fiorentina defender Robin Gosens has also made his return to the squad.&nbsp;Germany's victory over Italy in the quarter-finals in March won them the right to host the remainder of the tournament.&nbsp;The Germans will take on Portugal in Munich in the semi-final, with European Champion Spain facing France in the other semi-final in Stuttgart.&nbsp;Under Nagelsmann, Germany has returned to form after almost a decade of disappointments on the international stage, including two group stage World Cup exits in a row.&nbsp;Germany were defeated in extra time by eventual champions Spain in Euro 2024 in the quarter-finals.&nbsp;Nagelsmann praised his side's run to the final four but added "we can't afford to go one metre less than we did in the best moments in the quarter-finals against Italy".<h3>Squad -</h3>&nbsp;Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Alexander Nuebel (Stuttgart), Marc-Andre Ter Stegen (Barcelona/ESP)&nbsp;Defenders: Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund), Yann Aurel Bisseck (Inter Milan/ITA), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maximilian Mittelstaedt (Stuttgart), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen)&nbsp;Midfielders: Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund), Nadiem Amiri (Mainz), Tom Bischof (Hoffenheim), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Robin Gosens (Fiorentina/ITA), Pascal Gross (Borussia Dortmund), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)&nbsp;Forwards: Niclas Fuellkrug (West Ham United/ENG), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), Nick Woltemade (Stuttgart)&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Nations League: Germany drop Rudiger and Musiala but include keeper Ter Stegen

Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann on Thursday recalled goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen in a heavily changed squad for the upcoming Nations League semi-finals. Nagelsmann made 10 changes, including naming two debutants, in his 26-man squad for the June fixtures. Midfielder Jamal Musiala, defenders Antonio Rudiger and Nico Schlotterbeck and forward Kai Havertz are among the notable absentees to miss out due to injury. Also read | Captain Fernandes offers to leave Manchester United to help club rebuild The coach said the bulging casualty ward was "extremely bitter" but said he did not want to take any risks with the injured players. Sidelined since September, Ter Stegen will return between the sticks, with Nagelsmann saying Thursday the Barcelona shot-stopper is "in top shape" and "our number one." The goalie has made two league starts for Barcelona since his return from injury. Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz returns to the team, having missed the March fixtures with injury, as does West Ham striker Niclas Fuellkrug. Midfielder Tom Bischoff, who will move from Hoffenheim to Bayern Munich in the summer, along with Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade, have been called up to a senior Germany squad for the first time. The coach praised the 1.98-metre-tall Woltemade's "extraordinary skills", saying he has "momentum totally on his side right now". Nagelsmann also recalled Bayern Munich duo Serge Gnabry and Aleksandar Pavlovic, along with Borussia Dortmund's Waldemar Anton and Felix Nmecha. Fiorentina defender Robin Gosens has also made his return to the squad. Germany's victory over Italy in the quarter-finals in March won them the right to host the remainder of the tournament. The Germans will take on Portugal in Munich in the semi-final, with European Champion Spain facing France in the other semi-final in Stuttgart. Under Nagelsmann, Germany has returned to form after almost a decade of disappointments on the international stage, including two group stage World Cup exits in a row. Germany were defeated in extra time by eventual champions Spain in Euro 2024 in the quarter-finals. Nagelsmann praised his side's run to the final four but added "we can't afford to go one metre less than we did in the best moments in the quarter-finals against Italy". Squad - Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Alexander Nuebel (Stuttgart), Marc-Andre Ter Stegen (Barcelona/ESP) Defenders: Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund), Yann Aurel Bisseck (Inter Milan/ITA), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maximilian Mittelstaedt (Stuttgart), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen) Midfielders: Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund), Nadiem Amiri (Mainz), Tom Bischof (Hoffenheim), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Robin Gosens (Fiorentina/ITA), Pascal Gross (Borussia Dortmund), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen) Forwards: Niclas Fuellkrug (West Ham United/ENG), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), Nick Woltemade (Stuttgart) Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

The coach said the bulging casualty ward was "extremely bitter" but said he did not want to take any risks with the injured players.

Euro 2028 hosts England, Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales will compete in qualifying for the tournament, UEFA said Wednesday.The European football governing body confirmed the qualification format for the 24-team tournament, reserving two places for host nations who do not qualify."(The) hosts... will also participate in qualifying, drawn into separate groups," said UEFA in a statement after an executive committee meeting in Bilbao ahead of the Europa League final.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/-i-will-quit-make-a-shorter-squad-pep-guardiola-fires-warning-at-man-city-management-after-poor-season-1747822775866">'I will quit, make a shorter squad': Pep Guardiola fires warning at Man City management after poor season</a>"The 12 group winners and eight best runners-up (20 teams) will advance directly to the EURO 2028 final tournament."Two spots in the final tournament will be reserved for the two best-ranked host nations who are not qualified as group winners or best runners-up after the completion of the qualifying group stage."The remaining places at the tournament will be won via play-offs between the remaining qualifying group runners-up and the highest ranked 2026-27 Nations League non-qualified group winners.The number of spots available through play-offs will depend on whether host nations qualify directly through the groups or via the reserved qualifying slots.Euro 2024 hosts Germany qualified directly to the tournament, eventually won by Spain who beat England in the Berlin final.Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

The European football governing body confirmed the qualification format for the 24-team tournament, reserving two places for host nations who do not qualify.

Euro 2028 hosts England, Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales will compete in qualifying for the tournament, UEFA said Wednesday. The European football governing body confirmed the qualification format for the 24-team tournament, reserving two places for host nations who do not qualify. "(The) hosts... will also participate in qualifying, drawn into separate groups," said UEFA in a statement after an executive committee meeting in Bilbao ahead of the Europa League final. Also Read - 'I will quit, make a shorter squad': Pep Guardiola fires warning at Man City management after poor season "The 12 group winners and eight best runners-up (20 teams) will advance directly to the EURO 2028 final tournament. "Two spots in the final tournament will be reserved for the two best-ranked host nations who are not qualified as group winners or best runners-up after the completion of the qualifying group stage." The remaining places at the tournament will be won via play-offs between the remaining qualifying group runners-up and the highest ranked 2026-27 Nations League non-qualified group winners. The number of spots available through play-offs will depend on whether host nations qualify directly through the groups or via the reserved qualifying slots. Euro 2024 hosts Germany qualified directly to the tournament, eventually won by Spain who beat England in the Berlin final. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

The European football governing body confirmed the qualification format for the 24-team tournament, reserving two places for host nations who do not qualify.

Two spots reserved for hosts unable to qualify for Euro 2028, confirms UEFA

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