Luka Modric has reflected on an emotional week that saw the Croatia captain become a father for the third time ahead of his imminent 100th international caps.
The Real Madrid midfielder will reach the landmark in Friday's World Cup qualifier at home to Finland, assuming he is selected.
Croatia are top of Group I with two games remaining, but they are level on points with Iceland heading into the decisive double-header that closes the qualifying section.
And Modric is focused on getting the job done and securing a place at Russia 2018 for his side following the importance of his own personal milestone.
"This is a very emotional week for me, considering the birth of my third child, daughter Sofija, and the 100th cap for Croatia," Modric said. "That makes me very happy and proud.
"To be honest, I have never expected to reach this number, my dream was only to play for Croatia at least once.
"This landmark is beyond all expectations. Let us hope for a positive outcome to complete this week.
"We are aware of the situation in our group, aware of the expectations, and we know what we have to do to reach Russia.
"I believe we'll put in a quality performance in both matches, that we will be tough, focused and play even better than in previous matches. Quality is on our side, but we need to present it on the field of play."
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