Squad: Luka Modric

Luka Modric

Luka Modric became Real Madrid's first signing for the 2012/13 season. The midfielder was Tottenham Hotspur's main playmaker and one of their greatest stars. Modric has great personality and creativity, which allow him to easily connect with teammates and organise the team's game. He is also an excellent assist-man and makes sacrifices for the team.

Born on 9 September 1985, Modric joined Dinamo Zagreb when he was only 16. The Croatian club loaned him to Bosnian First Division side Zrinjski in the 2003/04 campaign and he earned the Best Player award in the championship. He was then loaned to Zapresic, where his football and talent helped them finish second in the Croatian league. He returned to Dinamo in 2005.

In three seasons Modric truly bloomed and won three league titles, two Cups of Croatia and Best Player honours in 2007. Tottenham noticed him and he joined them in the summer of 2008. In four years, he helped turn the English side into one of the greats in the Premier League, reaching the top four in the 2009/10 and 2011/12 seasons, and reaching the Champions League quarterfinals in the 2010/11 campaign, where they lost to Real Madrid. Modric played 127 games in the Premier League, scoring 13 goals and serving 24 assists.

The midfielder is also the standout player on the Croatian national team, with whom he's played 57 encounters and netted eight strikes; he made the Euro 2008 Ideal Team. His international career began with the Under-21s, but he soon made his first team debut with Croatia in 2006 when he was only 20 years old in a 3-2 win over Argentina.

Real Madrid has a very talented and creative organiser in midfield, an offensive player who can assist his teammates and move the ball around intelligently while always working hard and making sacrifices for the good of the team.

Data

• Place of Birth: Zadar, Croatia
• Date of Birth: 09/09/1985
• Position: Midfielder
• Weight: 65 kg
• Height: 171 cm
• Nationality: Croatian

Honours (Club)

• Spanish Super Cup: 2012
• Croatian First League: 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08
• Croatian Cup: 2007, 2008
• Croatian Super Cup: 2006

Honours (Individual)

• Bosnian First League Player of the Year: 2003
• Croatian Football Hope of the Year: 2004
• Croatian First League Player of the Year: 2007
• UEFA Euro 2008 Team of the Tournament: 2008