Luka Modrić is a Croatian professional footballer currently playing for Real Madrid, he can play all midfield roles, mainly as an attacking midfielder or winger. It is also common for his coach, Zlatko Dalić to count on his captain for World Cup matches.
Luka Modrić was born on September 9, 1985, in the town of Zahar. In this case Croatia had not been formed and there was the country Yugoslavia. When the Croatian was small, all his family and he had to move because of the beginning of the Croatian War of Independence. They went from hotel to hotel, and in the company of several refugees, as they had to leave their homes as well. Modrić’s grandfather was executed along with more people in the settlement of Jasenice, and all the houses in the village were burned.
When they returned to their towns, his father was a city aeronautical technician and his mother a seamstress. Although the family was not doing very well financially, they gambled on Luka playing soccer and in this case he stayed in Zahar to be able to play.
Start in soccer
The Croatian was signed at the age of sixteen by Dinamo Zagreb, but he was loaned to H. Š. K. Zrinjski Mostar. He made his debut on August 3, 2003 with this Bosnian team as a professional player against Borac Banja Luka and the result was 1-0 for Monstar. Luka stayed one season and was elected the best player of the Bosnian League. The following year he returned to Croatia and was loaned again, but in this case to Inter Zaprešić, where he managed to finish runner-up in the Prva HNL. After being on loan twice, he returned to his home team and in the 2005-2006 season he was proclaimed champion of the League. In Dinamo Zagreb he won his first title as a professional and a year later they won the same title, as well as the Croatian Cup. In the second, on an individual level, he was named player of the year. In his last season, he took one more league and cup to his trophy cabinet, but in this case we should also add a Super Cup in 2006.
With the good campaigns carried out by the Croatian, he got several clubs interested in him. But the only one that managed to get him was Tottenham Hotspur Football Club for 20 million euros, which was made official on April 26, 2008. The debut was not the dream, which was found with the defeat of his team by 2-1 against Middlesbrough. At the beginning of his first season in the Premier League, he suffered a knee injury and the media began to comment that he was too weak to play in the English league. He also had to share a decision of the club, which was the departure of Juande Ramos, as he was one of the people who most insisted on the signing of Luka. In December, in an official Europa League match against Spartak Moscow, he scored his first goal for the club, and three days later he scored in the Premier League. With Modric’s performances on the field, his place on the field and the approval of the media was becoming established.
With the arrival of Redknapp, the player was more free and that made him score many goals, in addition to the good words that the English media pronounced about the Croatian. Years later, in the 2010 season in a match he had to be substituted in the 32nd minute, due to a blow suffered in the same leg of the previous injury. But it was confirmed that it was not the same injury, in this case he suffered a fractured fibula and was sidelined for 4 months. Despite being injured, many teams wanted to sign him for their squads, but Modric wanted to stay at Tottenham. Two years later, the Croatian would score his last goal for the club in the 2012 season, as one of the big clubs was interested in the player.
Star signing for the white club
The Croatian arrived at the white team on August 27, 2012, after several negotiations with the English team, the transfer was agreed for 30 million euros. After signing the contract with Real Madrid for the next 5 seasons, the Croatian commented that it was one of the happiest days of his life. Real Madrid played the Spanish Super Cup against Barcelona, Modrić came on to replace Özil and they won the title 2-1. For La Liga he had to wait until the third game to make his debut as a starter and finish with a good performance praised by the Spanish media. His first goal could be seen against Zaragoza where the match ended 4-0. Another good performance was in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Manchester United, when he came on and revolutionized the match, scoring the equalizer to qualify the team for the quarterfinals. Since he arrived in Spain, the media has always had good words for him, as well as his teammates and coaches. The Croatian made a place in the lineups of different coaches, with the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti came his first Champions League in 2014. Later with Zidane at the helm, the team has won many titles, in addition to raising the level of the players.
Luka Modrić made his debut on March 1, 2006 in a friendly against Argentina, where the match ended in a 2-2 draw. After adapting quite well to the national team’s game, Modric was added to the squad for the World Cup in Germany that same year. Two years later he could be seen in the Euro 2008, where he made his debut against Austria, in the group match and even with a goal of the Croatian. Just as we could see him at Euro 2012, he participated in all three group matches, and they won against Ireland, but did not go through. He was also called up for the Brazil World Cup roster in 2014, but they were defeated by Mexico and this left them out of the World Cup. In the following World Cup he would be the most outstanding player, as well as Croatia managed to be runner-up. After the player’s good performance during the tournament, it was enough for him to win the Golden Ball that same year.
Achievements of Luka Modrić
In Dinamo Zagreb he consolidated with 3 leagues, 2 Croatian cups and 1 Supercup. While at Real Madrid, he has 2 leagues, 1 King’s Cup, 3 Spanish Super Cups, 4 Champions League, 3 European Super Cups and 4 Club World Cups. He also has a Ballon d’Or and The Best award, so he has 23 titles behind him.
Ballon d’Or deserved
After the World Cup held in 2018 in Russia, and getting his national team to finish as runner-up of the championship, Luka reached to be a finalist in the Ballon d’Or. He had a pretty good season with Real Madrid, as in the league they were third, in the Champions League they won the thirteenth in Kiev and in the Copa del Rey they reached the quarterfinals. That year they also won the Spanish and European Super Cup. That summer the World Cup in Russia was being held, and Croatia was in Group D. They had important matches like the one against Argentina, they counted on Leo Messi, but the Croatians won with a resounding 3-0 victory. Croatia was first in the group and would face Denmark, where it ended with a Croatian victory, but this time on penalties. Later they would face Russia and England, to reach the final against France. The last match could not be, and the Croatians settled for second place in the tournament. France Football magazine , published the 30 players who were to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or, Luka Modric was to compete for the award. On December 3, the name of the winner was announced and Luka came first, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Griezman .
