On the day of his 180th international match, Luka Modric pulled a rabbit out of the hat with a flawless free-kick, securing Croatia's first Nations League win against Poland in Osijek (1-0). Poland only showed any offensive threat late in the game when they were chasing the score.

The 39-year-old Real Madrid player remains the heartbeat of the Croatian team, which faced Poland after a four-game winless streak, including three at the last Euro tournament, where they had a lackluster showing, followed by a defeat to Portugal in the opening Nations League match last Thursday.

Modric was the maestro. He continues to command the midfield for Croatia, even though his influence has diminished at Real Madrid. Every play goes through the captain's feet, who has become the second-most capped European player, tied with Spain’s Sergio Ramos, and only behind Cristiano Ronaldo, who has surpassed 200 appearances.

Everything revolved around Modric. His stunning goal came in the 52nd minute. Modric stepped up to take a free kick from the edge of the box. With a masterful, delicate touch, he sent the ball into the top corner, leaving Lukasz Skorupski motionless.

It was a spectacular goal to close out his 38th year, as Modric will celebrate his 39th birthday this Monday, September 9. Age doesn’t seem to matter for Luka Modric, who never tires of competing. As they say, age is just a number when the passion remains intact.