Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz honor Luka Modric with emotional messages after football icon announces retirement

Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric is set to play his final match at the Santiago Bernabeu on May 24 against Real Sociedad. The star player is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders and greatest Croatian footballers ever. The two Spanish Tennis stars, Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal, have paid tribute to Modric and shared heartfelt messages on Instagram.

Notably, the legendary footballer joined Real Madrid back in 2012, and he has left a legacy like none other. The 39-year-old legend has won 28 major trophies, including six UEFA Champions League titles and a Ballon d'Or award in 2018.

Meanwhile, tennis icon Rafael Nadal, who has been a lifelong supporter of Real Madrid, expressed his gratitude to Modric. The image shows Nadal handing an award to a footballer.

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A post shared by Rafa Nadal (@rafaelnadal)

Carlos Alcaraz, who is also known as one of the Real Madrid fans, paid tribute to the 39-year-old star in a similar fashion to Nadal. This image showcases the footballer attending the Wimbledon semi-final match between him and Daniil Medvedev in 2024.

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A post shared by Carlos Alcaraz Garfia (@carlitosalcarazz)

Rafael Nadal hails Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner ahead of French Open 2025

Tennis legend Rafael Nadal stated that the top two ATP players, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, hold an 'advantage' compared to the rest of the players, but the future still seems 'unpredictable.' The two went on to win two Grand Slam titles each in 2024. Sinner wins the Australian Open and US Open, while the junior Spaniard grabs the French Open and Wimbledon titles. Sinner easily defended his Australian Open title this time, while the duo seems in red-hot form ahead of the French Open 2025.

“[Jannik] Sinner has already won 3 Slams. It seems that Jannik and Carlos [Alcaraz] are at a higher level than the others and that if they are spared from injuries, they will fight for the most important titles for a long time. Jannik and Carlos have an advantage over the others at the moment; they seem to be at a higher level and have been for the last two years, but we will see; the future is unpredictable,” Nadal said.

Also Read: French Open 2025: Schedule, Prize Money, Draws & Live Streaming details