Luka Modrić

Early years

Supported by his family, Modrić participated in representative camps and trained at NK Zadar. He was under the tutelage of coach Domagoj Bašić and the head of the youth academy, Tomislav Bašić. Tomislav Bašić, considered by Modrić as his "sporting father", said Modrić's father made him wooden shin guards because they had little money. However, Modrić later denied the story. Due to being considered too young and light, he was not signed by Croatian powerhouse Hajduk Split, the most representative football club in the region of Dalmatia. After displaying some talent, including at a youth tournament in Italy, Tomislav Bašić arranged Modrić's move to Dinamo Zagreb when Modrić was a 16-year-old in late 2001. After a season with Dinamo Zagreb's youth side, Modrić was loaned in 2003 to Zrinjski Mostar in the Bosnian Premier League. During this period, he established his versatile style of play and became the Bosnian Premier League Player of the Year at only the age of 18. Modrić later said, "Someone who can play in the Bosnian Premier League can play anywhere," referring to its physical nature. The following year, he was loaned to Croatian side Inter Zaprešić. He spent one season there, helping the team to achieve second position in the Prva HNL and a place in the preliminary round of the UEFA Cup. He also won the Croatian Football Hope of the Year award in 2004. He returned to Dinamo Zagreb in 2005.

Dinamo Zagreb

In the 2005–06 season, Modrić signed…

Modrić began his international career at youth level, playing for the Croatian under-15, under-17, under-18, under-19 and under-21 teams. He debuted in March 2001 for the under-15 team coached by Martin Novoselac, but despite his talent and psychological maturity, he did not become a regular starter and leading player until his debuted for the under-18 team. Novoselac considers him a model for all young players due to his perseverance, sustained hard effort, and talent. Modrić made his full international debut for Croatia on 1 March 2006 in a friendly match against Argentina in Basel, which Croatia won 3–2.

2006–2008: First major tournaments

Modrić made two appearances at the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals as a substitute in the group fixtures against Japan and Australia. With the appointment of new manager Slaven Bilić, Modrić earned greater recognition at international level; he scored his first goal in Croatia's 2–0 friendly win over world champions Italy on 16 August 2006 in Livorno. Modrić's performances ensured a regular place in the international side and he gave a successful showing in Croatia's UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, which included home and away victories against England. As a young midfielder, much was expected of Modrić; he was often dubbed "the Croatian Cruyff". Modrić scored Croatia's first goal of Euro 2008, converting a penalty in the fourth minute of their 1–0 victory against hosts Austria on 8 June 2008 and becoming the team's youngest…

Luka Modrić was born on 9 September 1985 in Zadar and was raised in the hamlet of Modrići, which is a part of Zaton Obrovački, a village situated on the southern slopes of the mountain Velebit, north of the city of Zadar in SR Croatia, then a republic within SFR Yugoslavia. He is the oldest child of Stipe Modrić from Modrići and Radojka Dopuđ from Kruševo near Obrovac, both of whom initially worked in a knitwear factory. Modrić mostly spent his early years in the stone house where his paternal grandfather usually lived after whom he was named, located on the road above the hamlet of Modrići, and was shepherding goats as a five-year-old. His childhood coincided with the Croatian War of Independence—in 1991, when the war escalated, his family were forced to flee the area. Modrić's grandfather Luka was executed by Serb rebels who were part of the police of SAO Krajina in December 1991 near his house in Modrići, and after the family fled, the house was burned to the ground. Modrić became a refugee and lived with his family in the Hotel Kolovare for seven years; he later moved to the Hotel Iž, both in Zadar. His father joined the Croatian Army as an aeromechanic. In those years, thousands of bombs fell on the city and football was a way to escape the reality of war. He recalls it as a tough time for his family and something which shaped him as a person. He said he was mostly unaware of the war because he befriended many other children and their parents did not let it affect their…

Modrić married Vanja Bosnić in May 2010 in the Croatian capital Zagreb in a private ceremony after four years of dating, and a year later in the Catholic Church. They have three children. Modrić is a cousin of Australian footballer Mark Viduka, and the godfather of Mateo Kovačić's son Ivan. Modrić generally maintains a low profile outside of football. In late 2019, Modrić released his autobiography Moja igra (My Game), co-written by prominent Croatian sports journalist Robert Matteoni.

Philanthropy

Out of his philanthropic activities which became publicly confirmed, because he wishes to be anonymous, in 2017 Modrić made a substantial donation to an autism association in Zadar. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he donated €100,000 for the purchase of a mobile X-ray machine to a hospital in Zadar, previously donating a hospital in Zagreb.

Legal issues

Modrić was called to testify in an embezzlement and tax evasion trial in 2018 against the former Dinamo Zagreb executive, Zdravko Mamić. Modrić annexed most of his Tottenham transfer fee to Mamić because he brokered the transfer. Modrić was charged with perjury for stating that he annexed his fee at an earlier date than he allegedly had. "My conscience is clear", he told the judge with the backing of the Croatian Football Federation. The trial drew a mixed response from the Croatian public; some saw it as emblematic of corruption in Croatian football while others supported Modrić as he dealt with the…