On June 25, in the final round of Group B at the European Championship, Croatia drew 1-1 with Italy, leaving their qualification hopes for the knockout stages hanging by a thread. With a goal to their name, Luka Modrić was awarded the man-of-the-match, but he appeared unbothered by the result.
Heading into this match, Croatia had one draw and one loss, earning only one point and sitting at the bottom of the group. To secure a spot in the Round of 16, they needed a victory against Italy. Despite Modrić’s valiant effort, he missed a penalty but redeemed himself with a goal, putting Croatia ahead 1-0. In the 80th minute, Croatia substituted him with Marcelo Brozović. On the sideline, the “Magician” watched helplessly as Italy equalized late in the game.
Though Modrić took home the best player award, his joyless expression reflected the team’s impending elimination, turning the accolade into a bittersweet consolation. This echoes Havertz’s own stoic face after being named the man-of-the-match in Germany’s 4-2 win over Costa Rica in the 2022 World Cup, where they were ultimately knocked out despite the victory.