Luka Modrić: The Croatian Maestro.!!!
Luka Modrić is one of the best midfielders in the world, and arguably the greatest Croatian footballer ever.
He has won numerous trophies and awards, both with his club and his country, and has dazzled fans with his vision, technique, and leadership.
In this blog post, I will tell you everything you need to know about Luka Modrić, from his player profile and career path to his off-field ventures and lifestyle.
Let’s dive in!
Luka Modrić was born on September 9, 1985, in Zadar, Croatia.
He is a central midfielder who can also play as an attacking midfielder or a defensive midfielder.
Modrić is currently playing for Real Madrid, one of the biggest clubs in the world, and he is the captain of the Croatia national team.
He has a net worth of $75 million and a salary of $12 million per year.
He has won many prestigious awards, such as the Ballon d’Or, the Best FIFA Men’s Player, and the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year.
PHOTO Source | GOAL.COM
His Early And Life Personal Life
Luka Modrić had a difficult childhood, as he grew up during the Croatian War of Independence.
His family had to flee from their home and live as refugees in a hotel. He started playing football at a young age, and found solace and joy in the game.
He joined the youth academy of NK Zadar, his hometown club, and showed great potential and talent.
Luka Modrić is married to Vanja Bosnić, who is also his agent. They met in 2006 and got married in 2010.
Luka and Vanja have three children: Ivano, Ema, and Sofia.
They live in Madrid, Spain, where they enjoy a quiet and private life.
Luka Modrić is a devout Christian and a humble and modest person. He is also fluent in four languages: Croatian, English, Spanish, and German.
Luka Modrić Profile Summary
| Name | Luka Modrić |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | September 9, 1985 |
| Place of Birth | Zadar, Croatia |
| Nationality | Croatian |
| Height | 1.72 m |
| Position | Central Midfielder |
| Agent | Vanja Bosnić |
| Current Club | Real Madrid |
| Number | 10 |
| Youth Career | NK Zadar, Dinamo Zagreb |
| Senior Career | Dinamo Zagreb, Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid |
| International Career | Croatia U15, U17, U18, U19, U21, Croatia |
| Net Worth | $75 million |
| Salary | $12 million per year |
| Awards | Ballon d’Or, Best FIFA Men’s Player, UEFA Men’s Player of the Year, IFFHS World’s Best Playmaker, Golden Foot, etc. |
Player Career Path to Date
Luka Modrić began his professional career with Dinamo Zagreb, the most successful club in Croatia, in 2003.
He spent five years there, winning three league titles and two cups.
He also had two loan spells, one with Zrinjski Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he was named the league’s best player, and one with Inter Zaprešić in Croatia, where he helped the club finish second in the league.
In 2008, Luka Modrić moved to Tottenham Hotspur in England, where he became a key player and a fan favorite.
He played for four seasons there, scoring 13 goals and providing 27 assists in 127 appearances.
He helped the club qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in almost 50 years, and reached the quarter-finals of the competition in 2011.
In 2012, Luka Modrić joined Real Madrid in Spain, where he has achieved legendary status and won countless trophies.
He has played for nine seasons so far, scoring 28 goals and providing 66 assists in 349 appearances.
Luka has won five UEFA Champions League titles, three La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey titles, four FIFA Club World Cup titles, and three UEFA Super Cup titles.
He has also been named in the FIFPro World 11 six times and the UEFA Team of the Year three times.
Luka Modrić made his international debut for Croatia in 2006, and has since become the captain and the leader of the team.
He has played in four FIFA World Cups and four UEFA European Championships, scoring 24 goals and providing 19 assists in 172 appearances.
Notably, he led Croatia to the final of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, where they lost to France, but he won the Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament.
He also led Croatia to the final of the 2023 UEFA Nations League, where they lost to Italy.
Player Contracts and Salaries
Luka Modrić has signed several contracts and earned several salaries throughout his career.
Here are some of his contract and salary details:
| Year | Club | Contract Details | Salary Per Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Dinamo Zagreb | Signed first professional contract | €1,000 |
| 2008 | Tottenham Hotspur | Six-year contract worth £16.5M | £45,000 |
| 2012 | Real Madrid | Five-year contract worth £30M | £120,000 |
| 2016 | Real Madrid | Contract extension until 2020 | £180,000 |
| 2019 | Real Madrid | Contract extension until 2021 | £210,000 |
| 2021 | Real Madrid | Contract extension until 2022 | £240,000 |
| 2022 | Real Madrid | Contract extension until 2023 | £270,000 |
| 2023 | Real Madrid | Contract extension until 2024 | £300,000 |
Sponsorships and Endorsements
Luka Modrić has signed several sponsorship and endorsement deals throughout his career, earning millions of dollars from them. Here are some of his sponsorship and endorsement details:
- He has a long-term partnership with Nike, the global sports brand, which provides him with boots, apparel, and equipment. He also features in Nike’s advertisements and campaigns.
- He has a deal with EA Sports, the video game company, which makes him one of the cover stars of FIFA, the popular football simulation game. He also appears in EA Sports’ commercials and promotions.
- He has a deal with Hublot, the luxury watch brand, which makes him one of their ambassadors. He also wears Hublot’s watches and attends their events.
- He has a deal with Gillette, the shaving products brand, which makes him one of their spokesmen. He also promotes Gillette’s products and participates in their initiatives.
- He has a deal with Pepsi, the soft drink brand, which makes him one of their endorsers. He also drinks Pepsi’s beverages and appears in their ads.
- He has a deal with Lactalis, the dairy products company, which makes him one of their endorsers. He also consumes Lactalis’ products and features in their ads.
- He has a deal with Privredna Banka Zagreb, the Croatian bank, which makes him one of their endorsers. He also uses Privredna Banka Zagreb’s services and supports their causes.
Player Off-field Ventures
Luka Modrić is not only a successful footballer, but also a savvy businessman and a generous philanthropist.
He is involved in several off-field ventures, such as:
Business Ventures and Investments
- He is the co-owner of Hotel Noemia, a four-star hotel in Zadar, Croatia, which he opened in 2019.
The hotel has 24 rooms, a restaurant, a bar, a spa, and a pool. He invested €1.5 million in the hotel, which is managed by his brother-in-law.
- He is the co-owner of Luka Modrić Academy, a football academy in Zagreb, Croatia, which he launched in 2020.
The academy offers training, coaching, and education for young footballers, aged 6 to 18. He invested €500,000 in the academy, which is run by his former teammates and coaches.
- He is the co-owner of Luka Modrić Foundation, a non-profit organization that he founded in 2021.
The foundation supports children and youth in need, especially those affected by war, poverty, and disease. He donated €1 million to the foundation, which partners with various charities and NGOs.
Player Lifestyle and Assets
Luka Modrić lives a comfortable and luxurious lifestyle, thanks to his fame and fortune. He owns and enjoys several assets, such as:
- He owns a mansion in Madrid, Spain, where he lives with his family. The mansion is worth €7.5 million and has six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a gym, a pool, a garden, and a garage.
- He owns a villa in Zadar, Croatia, where he spends his holidays and vacations. The villa is worth €2.5 million and has four bedrooms, five bathrooms, a sauna, a jacuzzi, a terrace, and a beachfront.
- He owns a fleet of cars, including a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, a Range Rover Sport, a Audi Q7, and a Porsche Cayenne. He also owns a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and a Vespa scooter.
- He owns a yacht, named Luka, which he bought in 2018. The yacht is worth €1.2 million and has three cabins, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a lounge, and a deck.
- He owns a collection of watches, including a Hublot Big Bang, a Rolex Daytona, a Patek Philippe Nautilus, and a Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. He also owns a collection of jewelry, including a diamond ring, a gold chain, and a pearl necklace.
Charity and Philanthropy
- He is a supporter and donor of UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, which works for the rights and welfare of children around the world.
He has visited UNICEF’s projects and campaigns in Croatia and other countries, and has raised awareness and funds for their causes.
- He is a supporter and donor of SOS Children’s Villages, an international organization that provides care and protection for orphaned and abandoned children.
Luka has sponsored and visited SOS Children’s Villages in Croatia and other countries, and has donated money and gifts to their children.
- He is a supporter and donor of Red Cross, an international humanitarian movement that helps people in crisis and conflict.
He has donated blood and money to Red Cross, and has supported their relief and recovery efforts in Croatia and other countries.
Career Highlights
Luka Modrić has had many memorable moments in his career, both with his club and his country.
Here are some of his career highlights:
- In 2008, he scored his first goal for Tottenham Hotspur in a 4-4 draw against Arsenal in the North London derby, one of the biggest rivalries in England.
- In 2010, he assisted Peter Crouch’s goal against Manchester City that secured Tottenham’s qualification for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history.
- In 2011, he scored a stunning long-range goal against Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup quarter-finals, which was voted as the goal of the season by the Tottenham fans.
- In 2012, he scored his first goal for Real Madrid in a 3-2 win over Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League round of 16, which helped his team advance to the quarter-finals.
- In 2014, he won his first UEFA Champions League title with Real Madrid, beating Atlético Madrid 4-1 in the final. He also won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup that year.
- In 2016, he scored his first goal for Croatia in a major tournament, a brilliant curling shot against Turkey in the UEFA Euro 2016 group stage, which earned him the man of the match award.
- In 2017, he won his first La Liga title with Real Madrid, ending a five-year drought for the club. He also won his second UEFA Champions League title, becoming the first team to retain the trophy in the modern era.
- In 2018, he won his third consecutive UEFA Champions League title with Real Madrid, beating Liverpool 3-1 in the final.
- He also won the Ballon d’Or, the Best FIFA Men’s Player, and the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year, breaking the decade-long dominance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
- In 2018, he led Croatia to the final of the FIFA World Cup, scoring two goals and providing one assist in seven games. He won the Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament, becoming the first Croatian to do so.
- In 2020, he scored his 100th goal in his professional career, a volley against Granada in the La Liga.
- In 2021, he became the oldest player to score a goal in the UEFA Euro, at the age of 35 years and 286 days, when he netted a superb strike against Scotland in the group stage.
- In 2022, he won his fifth UEFA Champions League title with Real Madrid, beating Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 in the final. He also won his third La Liga title and his second Copa del Rey title that season.
- In 2023, he led Croatia to the final of the UEFA Nations League, scoring three goals and providing two assists in six games. He won the Silver Ball as the second-best player of the tournament, behind Italy’s Federico Chiesa.
Player Honors and Career Achievements
Luka Modrić has won many honors and achievements in his career, both individually and collectively. Here are some of his most notable ones:
Individual Honors and Achievements
- Ballon d’Or: 2018
- Best FIFA Men’s Player: 2018
- UEFA Men’s Player of the Year: 2018
- IFFHS World’s Best Playmaker: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
- Golden Foot: 2019
- FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 2018
- UEFA Nations League Silver Ball: 2023
- UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament: 2016, 2020
- FIFA FIFPro World 11: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
- UEFA Team of the Year: 2016, 2017, 2018
- La Liga Best Midfielder: 2015-16, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20
- Croatian Footballer of the Year: 2007, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
- Croatian Sportsman of the Year: 2018
Collective Honors and Achievements
- UEFA Champions League: 2013-14, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2021-22 (with Real Madrid)
- La Liga: 2016-17, 2019-20, 2021-22 (with Real Madrid)
- Copa del Rey: 2013-14, 2021-22 (with Real Madrid)
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 (with Real Madrid)
- UEFA Super Cup: 2014, 2016, 2017 (with Real Madrid)
- Supercopa de España: 2017, 2019-20 (with Real Madrid)
- Croatian First Football League: 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 (with Dinamo Zagreb)
- Croatian Football Cup: 2006-07, 2007-08 (with Dinamo Zagreb)
- FIFA World Cup Runner-up: 2018 (with Croatia)
- UEFA Nations League Runner-up: 2023 (with Croatia)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Luka Modrić
Here are some of the most common questions that people ask about Luka Modrić, along with their answers:
Q: How old is Luka Modrić?
A: Luka Modrić is 38 years old as of 2024. He was born on September 9, 1985, in Zadar, Croatia.