Inspiracija: Luka Modrić / Inspiration: Luka Modrić
jski. He was declared the league’s top player, despite being both young and slight, and years later he would say with a smile “anyone who’s played in the B-H league can play anywhere in the world”. He received football beatings as such a slight and penetrating player, but the beat- ings didn’t stop when he again changed en- vironments. That was the only way they could stop this written-off kid when he started chas- ing the ball and his dreams. He remained masterful when he returned to Dinamo, but the club again sent him out on loan, this time to Inter from Zaprešić. He was so good that by the end of the first part of the sea- son Inter was first in the league, ahead of the famous Zagreb and Split clubs. They immedi- ately brought“modri”back to the Croatian cap- ital from his loan spell, but not so that he could play, rather to stopping him from playing for ri- val clubs. Locked to the bench, he didn’t get a chance. Coaches came and went, and it was only the fifth coach, Josip Kuže, who realised what a gem he had among the reserves. He sent him on- to the pitch and then everything became poetry. Modrić won three titles with Dinamo, two Croatian Cups and a Super Cup of Croatia. He was sold for as much as 18.8 million euros to Tottenham, as the best midfielder from the Bal- kans; as someone who doesn’t fear those who are stronger in the slightest, but rather charges at them bravely and shows everything he knows. And he knows a lot. Whether shooting from 25 metres out or dribbling past whoever he wants in order to serve an easy finish to a teammate. He didn’t win trophies with the London-based team, but in his four years playing in the world’s toughest league, the English Premier League, he showed what a maestro he is. He proved that he could compete with “the best quality mid- field butchers”and the greatest magicians, lead- ing to him being invited to Real Madrid. During his time in England he also married Vanja, with whom he has three children: son Ivan (8) and daughters Ema (5) and Sofia (2). With the“royal club”he realised his dreams by winning the UEFA Champions League... Four times! He has also been a world club champi- on three times. He actually lifted 14 trophies in a shirt of Real Madrid, as well as leading Croa- tia to the unprecedented success of the final of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. During this same year he has been declared the best footballer in the European selection of UEFA, the best player of the world cup and, finally, FIFA recognition as the best player in the world. And that selection is simultaneously the sweetest and toughest tri- umph – selected through the votes of the cap- tains and coaches of all national teams. Modrić left in his wake the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Mohamed Salah, Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Mes- si. He left everyone behind him and climbed, like a kid that was written-off, to the very top. Just like he used to on Velebit.
dat je Totenhemu kao najbolji vezni igrač sa Balkana. Kao neko ko se uop- šte ne plaši jačeg, već juriša hrabro i pokazuje sve šta zna. A zna mno- go. Bilo da šutne sa 25 metara, bilo da predribla koga poželi i servira sa- igračima laku završnicu. Trofeje sa londonskim timom nije osvajao, ali je za četiri godine u najtežoj, Premijer ligi, tokom kojih se oženio Vanjom, sa kojom ima troje dece, sina Ivana (8) i ćerke Emu (5) i Sofiju (2), poka- zao kakav je maestro. Dokazao je da može da se nadmeće sa „najkvalitet- nijim mesarima“ i najvećim magovi- ma. Zato je pozvan u Real. Sa kraljevskim klubom je ostva- rio snove – osvojio je Ligu šampiona. Četiri puta. Bio triput klupski prvak TROFEJI/TROPHIES Dinamo Zagreb: Titula/League titles: 2006, 2007, 2007. Kup/Cup: 2007, 2008. Superkup/Supercup: 2006. Real Madrid: Titula/League titles: 2017. Kup/Cup: 2014. Superkup Španije/Spanish Supercup: 2012, 2017. Liga šampiona/ UEFA Champions league: 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018. UEFA Superkup/UEFA Supercup: 2014, 2016, 2017. Svetsko klupsko prvenstvo/ FIFA World Club Championship: 2014, 2016, 2017. Hrvatska/Croatia: Vicešampion sveta/ World Cup runners’ up 2018.
sveta. Zapravo, 14 pehara je prigrlio u dresu Reala, a Hrvatsku je odveo do nezapamćenog uspeha, finala Mu- ndijala 2018. u Rusiji. U istoj godi- ni proglašen je za najboljeg u izbo- ru evropske kuće fudbala UEFA, za najboljeg igrača šampionata plane- te i, konačno, za najboljeg u izboru FIFA. A taj izbor je i najteži i ujedno najslađi – glasaju kapiteni i selektori svih reprezentacija. Modrić je iza se- be ostavio Kristijana Ronalda, Moha- meda Salaha, Kilijana Mbapea, Lio- nela Mesija. Ostavio je sve iza sebe i popeo se, kao klinac kojeg su otpi- sivali, na sam vrh. Kao nekad na Velebitu.
Sa kraljevskim klubom je ostvario snove i osvojio je Ligu šampiona. Četiri puta With the “royal club” he realised his dreams by winning the UEFA Champions League... Four times
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