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Luka Modrić

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Luka Modrić is a professional footballer from Croatia.

Zadar (20069585463)
Zadar (20069585463)

He plays as a central midfielder. This position requires high skill to control the game. Many experts consider him one of the greatest midfielders in history. He is also regarded as the greatest Croatian player ever. Currently, he plays for the club AC Milan. He also serves as the captain for the Croatia national team.

Modrić's journey began in a very difficult environment. He was born in Zadar on 9 September 1985. He spent his early years in the hamlet of Modrići.

Verlassenes Gebäude (Luka Modrić)
Verlassenes Gebäude (Luka Modrić)

During the Croatian War of Independence, his family had to flee their home. His grandfather was killed by rebels in December 1991. Their family house was also burned to the ground. Modrić became a refugee for seven years. He lived in the Hotel Kolovare and later the Hotel Iž in Zadar. During these years, he played football in hotel parking lots to escape the reality of war.

His professional career started with the club Dinamo Zagreb in 2003. Before becoming a star at Dinamo, he went on loan to other teams. He played for Zrinjski Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. There, he was named the Bosnian Premier League Player of the Year at age 18. He also played for Inter Zaprešić in Croatia. In 2005, he signed a ten-year contract with Dinamo Zagreb. He helped the team win the league and served as team captain.

Luka Modrić 2010 2
Luka Modrić 2010 2

In 2008, Modrić moved to the English Premier League. He joined Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of £16.5 million.

Luka Modrić spurs
Luka Modrić spurs

His start in England was not easy. He suffered a knee injury and faced criticism about his small size. Some people thought he was too lightweight for the league. However, manager Harry Redknapp changed his role to a central midfielder. This allowed Modrić to use his playmaker skills more effectively. He eventually helped lead the club to UEFA Champions League qualification in 2010.

In the summer of 2012, Modrić joined Real Madrid. The transfer fee was £30 million.

Liver-RM (2)
Liver-RM (2)

He became one of the most successful players in the club's history. He won 28 major trophies during his time at Real Madrid. These trophies include six UEFA Champions League titles and four La Liga titles. He was a key part of the team that won three consecutive Champions League titles from 2015–16 to 2017–18. He left the club in July 2025 to join AC Milan on a free transfer.

Modrić has received many prestigious individual awards. In 2018, he won the Ballon d'Or. This was significant because he was the first player to win it since 2007 who was not Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ofrenda de la Liga y la Champions-56-L.Millán (52109788795)
Ofrenda de la Liga y la Champions-56-L.Millán (52109788795)

He also won the Best FIFA Men's Player award and the UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award. In 2019, he received the Golden Foot award for his career and personality. He has been named the Croatian Footballer of the Year a record fourteen times.

On the international stage, Modrić is a leader for Croatia. He made his debut in March 2006 against Argentina.

ISL-HRV (7)
ISL-HRV (7)

He has played in every major tournament Croatia has qualified for. This includes every UEFA Euro from 2008 to 2024 and every FIFA World Cup from 2006 to 2022. In the 2018 World Cup, he led Croatia to the final and won the Golden Ball as the best player.

He also won the Bronze Ball at the 2022 World Cup after a third-place finish.

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🖼️ Images & Media (15)
File:Verlassenes Gebäude (Luka Modrić).jpg
Verlassenes Gebäude (Luka Modrić).jpg
File:Zadar (20069585463).jpg
Zadar (20069585463).jpg
File:Luka Modrić spurs.jpg
Luka Modrić spurs.jpg
File:Luka Modrić 2010 2.jpg
Luka Modrić 2010 2.jpg
File:Luka Modrić against Sevilla.jpg
Luka Modrić against Sevilla.jpg
File:Shahter-Reak M 2015 (10).jpg
Shahter-Reak M 2015 (10).jpg
File:Liver-RM (2).jpg
Liver-RM (2).jpg
File:Ofrenda de la Liga y la Champions-56-L.Millán (52109788795).jpg
Ofrenda de la Liga y la...
File:Modric in LIV VS RMA 2024 (cropped).jpg
Modric in LIV VS RMA 2024 (cropped).jpg
File:Brazil and Croatia match at the FIFA World Cup 2014-06-12 (10).jpg
Brazil and Croatia match at the FIFA...
File:ISL-HRV (7).jpg
ISL-HRV (7).jpg
File:Kylian Mbappé and Luka Modrić receive the award for the best young player and best player in the 2018 World Cup respectively (cropped).jpg
Kylian Mbappé and Luka Modrić receive the...

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