Is that really him? Are you sure it’s really Modric?
This problem existed as early as four years ago in the World Cup in Russia, when Luka Modric led a group of teammates all the way to the final. Fans were shocked by a vague documentary video. In it, a young boy with blond hair, wearing an old jacket that was obviously too big, was waving a branch to drive a flock of sheep through the jagged rocks…
That little boy is now the Croatian captain Modric! In the early morning of December 18th, Beijing time, as the Croatian team completed their final “performance” in the third and fourth finals of the World Cup in Qatar, Modric, who grew from a shepherd boy to a meritorious captain of the “Lattice Legion”, also left his World Cup journey. It’s “The Final Chapter”.
From the shepherd boy to the World Footballer, to the most competent “conductor” in “Croatian Rhapsody”, from Germany to Qatar for four World Cups, Modric, who fought to the last moment, should have been able to retire.
In the stories that fans have talked about countless times, troubled times, homelessness, and a father who was unfortunately shot… almost filled Modric’s entire childhood. If there is still a trace of happiness in it, it should be football. At this time, the stage belonging to Modric is still the open space around the refugee camp, and the “teammates” are those friends who are also in the refugee camp.
The year after Modric was featured in the documentary, he joined a local youth football club in Zadar. As a result, the football world opened its doors to this 7-year-old boy.
At the age of 17, he was discovered by the famous youth training coach Tomislav Basic and entered the youth training echelon of the Croatian giant Dinamo Zagreb; at the age of 18, he joined the Bosnia and Herzegovina League team on loan, scored 8 goals in 22 games and won the league MVP… The “fission” of the sheep-herding boy officially kicked off.
In March 2006, Modric, who was in his early 20s, ushered in his national team debut; just three months later, he was brought to the World Cup in Germany by head coach Zlatko Kranjica. At the time, he was the youngest player on the team.
Two substitutes, two draws. The mediocrity of Modric’s first World Cup trip was quickly overshadowed by news of his move to Tottenham. The five major leagues soon discovered that this fledgling young man not only has an overall view and excellent vision, but also has unambiguous ability to shoot from long distances and score goals.
After moving to Real Madrid, among the club’s three consecutive Champions League titles, “ceremonial three midfielders” and other honors, Modric is the core member. In 2018, the sheep-herding boy finally ushered in the brightest moment of his career: three consecutive Champions League titles, broke the 10-year monopoly of Messi and Ronaldo, was elected the World Footballer, and won the Golden Globe Award.
Facing the swarming media, Modric recalled his childhood experience more than once. In his opinion, those difficulties inspired him and created his current personality and willpower. In contrast to the performance of the Croatian team, reversals are commonplace. Isn’t this not the character projection of captain Modric?
After watching the performance of the Croatian team in Qatar this time, old fans may have some complaints: “Compared to 4 years ago, the dominance is still significantly reduced.” “Knife to butcher”. The same is true for the 37-year-old Modric…but his diligence, low-key, tenacity and calmness should still be mentioned by fans many years later.
World Cup Archives
Luka Modric
Appearances/starts: 19 games/17 games
Average time per game: 85 minutes
Goals: 2 goals
Best result: Runner-up
Upstream news reporter Qiu Jinyi’s pictures are all according to Xinhua News Agency
Editor: Chen Lu
Editor in charge: Wu Jinming Kong Lingqiang
Reviewer: Feng FeiReturn to Sohu to see more
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