The boy who fled the war and became a Ballon d’Or winner: the tragic story of Luka Modric

He sport It allows us to meet and connect with young hysterias around the world that, if it were not for their success and fame, we would never meet, and are a clear example of the power of improvement and resilience. Not only because of the discipline that comes with being an elite competitor, but because of the adversity they had to go through to get there.

That is the case of Luka Modricthe Croatian footballer 39 years who remains at a high level despite his age, and with his experience and skill he managed to take the Balkan country to the highest level in its history. With the real Madrid was not left behind, currently being a reference and the brain of the midfield.

Zadar and its origins

Although his present is full of success and personal and sporting joys, his childhood was very far from this reality. He was born in Zadar, a coastal city in Croatiaon September 9, 1985. At that time, that territory was within Yugoslavia, and it was during the Croatian War of Independence, which began in 1990, that they had to move and live in hotels to protect themselves. A year later and at only six years old, little Luka witnessed a tragic event that would mark his life forever: he saw firsthand how Serbian soldiers murdered his grandfather. The war ended with the negotiation of the Dayton Accords, later signed in Paris in December 1995.

During his early years, Modric enjoyed playing football when he could, and when the conflict came to an end, Svetko Custicthe then president of NK Zadarsigned Luka. He came through the youth ranks in this club, and at 16 he signed with Dinamo Zagreb, the most important club in the country. At first he was loaned to different Bosnian and Croatian teams to finally seal his return in 2005 and become a figure of the club.

Luka Modric’s path in football

After having his proper training in his country of origin, the young man undertook a trip to England and signed with the Tottenham in 2008. Despite already carrying the title of idol in Croatia, he could not add trophies with the London team. At the beginning of the 08/09 season he began to suffer some knee problems and English fans began to speculate about his level, ability to impose himself physically and character to play in the Premier League.

luka modric young.webp

That’s how, four seasons later, Mourinho asked for it and signed, neither more nor less, than with real Madrid. The transfer took place in 42 million eurosand would forever seal the immortality of the Croatian. Modric made his debut with the white team just two days later, in the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup against Barcelona. He jumped onto the pitch of the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in the 83rd minute, replacing Özil, in a match that ended with a 2-1 victory in favor of the merengue, winning their first title just four days after joining.

In 2018 he achieved, together with his teammates, an achievement never seen before for Croatia and its fans: they reached the final of the World Cup in Russia. Even though they fell to France, they fought the entire championship and he will always be remembered as a hero for his team. There he was chosen as the Best Player of the final, and that same year he was chosen as the Ballon d’Orcompeting against Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. In 2022, this time in Qatar, They repeated the feat of playing all 7 gamesbut this time they would fall in the semifinals with Argentinaand getting the third place against Morocco.

Luka Modric’s present

Modric continues to be a key piece at Real Madrid, although His role was modified a little due to his age.d. Despite not having that indisputable prominence that characterized him, he is still a very important player for the system of Carlo Ancelottiespecially in important games. In the 2024/2025 season, he played 19 games in La Ligawith 3 assists and 4 goals in total. His experience and vision of the game continue to be crucial for the team. You have a contract until June 2025.

Regarding the national team of CroatiaModric remains a central figure. He disputed a total of 184 international matches and scored 27 goals. In the UEFA Nations League 2024has participated in 6 games, scoring 1 goal and assisting on 1 occasion. Despite his age, he remains a fundamental piece for the national team and it is very likely that he will continue to be called up for future international competitions.