Luka Modric currently plays for the La Liga club Real Madrid where he became a world-class midfielder from an ordinary one. He is also the captain of the Croatian national football team. And in his captaincy, the team reached the finals in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and received third place in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He has already become a legend in Croatia and the first-ever Croatian to win the Ballon d’Or in 2018.
But the story was not beautiful from the beginning. Rather, it was hard, and Modric might not think he would be the world’s number 1 someday. He was born in a middle-class family in Hamlet of Midrici.
When he was only six years old, the Croatian War spread, and his family took shelter in the refugee camp. The army shot his grandfather, and he used to play football in the parking lot of the hotel where he lived for seven years. And the boy becomes a fine man who represents his country in all major tournaments. Let’s see how his lifelong journey has gone so far.
Luka Modric Basic Information
Before going further on his journey, let’s know the basic information.
| Full Name | Luka Modric |
| Nationality | Croatia |
| Date Of Birth | 9 September 1985 |
| Height | 5 feet 8 inches (1.72m) |
| Current Team | Real Madrid |
| Position | Midfielder |
| Number | 10 |
Luka Modric Professional Information
Luka Modric is like a fine wine that is getting better and better with time. Before becoming a world-class midfielder, he played for a couple of clubs but failed to extend his potential. Also, he spent five years at Spurs, but the football world didn’t recognize him as one of the best midfielders of all time. But Real Madrid was the club where Modric started to shine and amaze the world. Let’s see Luka Modric stats.
| Team | Starting Year | Left | Appearances | Goals |
| Zadar | 1996 | 2000 | – | – |
| Dynamo Zagreb (Youth) | 2000 | 2003 | – | – |
| Dinamo Zaberg | 2003 | 2008 | 94 | 26 |
| Zrinjski Mostar (Loan) | 2003 | 2004 | 25 | 8 |
| Inter Zapresic | 2004 | 2005 | 18 | 4 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 2008 | 201 2 | 127 | 13 |
| Real Madrid | 2012 | – | 318 | 26 |
This is how Modric’s international career has been going all over the years.
| Division | Years Active | Appearances | Goals |
| Croatia U15 | 2001 | 2 | 0 |
| Croatia U17 | 2001 | 2 | 0 |
| Croatia U18 | 2003 | 7 | 0 |
| Croatia U19 | 2003- 2004 | 11 | 1 |
| Croatia U21 | 2004- 2005 | 15 | 2 |
| Croatia | 2006- | 163 | 23 |
Luka Modric: Greatest Midfielder Of This Generation
Modric’s first youth club was NK Zadar. His whole family supported him in pursuing his dream of becoming a footballer though they were short on money. Because of his height and weight, Hajduk Split didn’t sign Modric. But his coach managed to send him to Dinamo Zagreb when he was only 16 years old.
Career Start
In 2003, Modric was sent to Zrinjski Mostar, which was a Bosnian Premier League team. He later described that league as he told that if someone would play in this league, they could play anywhere. And the main reason was the physical nature of the league. Modric went to Inter Zapresic on a second loan spell in the next season. He won the Croatian Football Hope of the Year in 2004.
Dinamo Zagreb
In the 2005–06 season, Modric signed a ten-year contract with Dinamo Zagreb, which was his first long-term contract. Dinamo again won the league in the 2006-07 season. He was the primary provider for Eduardo, who won the Prva HNL Player of the Year award. Modrić was given thunderous applause, and fans held up steady banners.
He completed his four-year residency at Dinamo with a count of the north of 31 objectives and 29 aids in four association seasons, contributing most remarkably in the 2007-08 season when Dinamo won the subsequent Croatian Cup and became champions by a 28-point margin. Modric was sought by Barcelona, Stockpile, and Chelsea, yet picked to stand by leaving the club.
Tottenham Hotspur
Luka Modric went to Tottenham Hotspur in 2008, although other Premier League clubs were interested in signing Modric. In the beginning, Modric had to face a lot of criticism because of his lightweight, but he was too strong to get out of that. Modric again scored his first goal for the club, Spartak Moscow, in a UEFA Cup. His first Premier League goal came against Newcastle United.
Modric came very strong since the 2009-10 season, and he has always been a versatile player who can play in any position in the midfield area. In 2010, Modric renewed his contract with Spurs, and the contract said that he would stay there till 2016. In his final season, Spurs managed to play in the UEFA Champions League for the first time. But Spurs were eliminated in the quarter-finals defeated against Real Madrid.
In his last season, Modric amazed by scoring one after another in different matches. There was this match against Liverpool where he scored from 25 yards. He also scored against Bolton from the same distance. And the day came when Modric and the club announced that Modric would not be a part of the team in the 2012-13 season.
Real Madrid
In 2012, Real Madrid bought Modric, and he signed a five-year contract with the Spanish giants. He struggled to get enough time in the first season as there were Ozil, Khedira, and Xavi Alonso. But, later in the 2013 season, Modric was one of the first choices of Zidane. From 2014 to 2018, Real Madrid conquered the Europe and FIFA Club World Cup. And Modric was an exceptional player at that time.
In 2018, Luca Modric won the Ballon d’Or. He became one of the greatest midfielders of all time in Spain and World Football. 2018 was the year when Croatia reached the FIFA World Cup with the leadership of Modric. But they failed to win the trophy as France was better.
Modric was integral to Real Madrid when they won the Champions League three consecutive times. He also got the Golden Foot for the second time. Last year, Real Madrid won their 14th Champions League title, and Modric was a part of them five times. It was also his 10th season with Real Madrid. Though his age reaches 37, there is no sign of his decreasing skills. He was also in the FIFA FIFPro World XI for the sixth time. And Croatia won third place in the 2022 FIFA World Cup under his captaincy.
Final Words
At the age of 37, Luka Modric is still an engine who can play for 90 minutes and cover the whole ground from his end to the opponent’s goal. He is known for his famous out-footed pass, covering all over the ground, brilliant passes, defending skills, and, most importantly, Modric is a born leader. I hope you have found this article interesting.
Thank You.
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