Bellingham reacts to Modric's Real Madrid departure

The story between Luka Modric and Real Madrid will end after 13 years. The club confirmed earlier on Thursday that the Croatian will leave Los Blancos after the Club World Cup, with Saturday's match against Real Sociedad being his last at the Bernabeu.

Jude Bellingham, who has been sharing the pitch with Modric for two years, has taken to social media to pay tribute to the 39-year-old. "The only thing outweighing my sadness right now is the gratitude I feel for having had the honour of being your teammate," Bellingham wrote on Instagram.

"So many great memories on and off the pitch that I will treasure forever. Your magic was never a surprise, and there’s nothing I can say that hasn’t already been said about your incredible achievements but your humility, openness and the time you took for every single person in any circumstance has blown me away, you’re a constant reminder of everything that is beautiful about football.

"Brate, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for every pass (whether it was with the inside or outside), every dribble, every nutmeg and every shot but more meaningful to me every chat, every hug, every dinner and every piece of wisdom and advice that you gave. Good luck with whatever comes next for you and your family. I love you so much. I will miss you"

The Englishman concluded the heartfelt letter with a message for Real Madrid fans ahead of Modric's final home game this weekend, as he wrote: "Madridistas, let’s break the roof off the Bernabeu with the tributes on Saturday for our Captain."