Last update 14 August, 2024 by Alberto Llopis
Luka Modric, He is without a doubt one of the best midfielders of the last decade. What many do not know is the intrastory that occurred before his signing for Real Madrid.
And the Croatian, He finally fulfilled his dream of playing in Spanish football, although he did not do it on the team he had originally wanted. or so they say. And it seems that, from childhood, Modric had dreamed of wearing the FC Barcelona shirt, but destiny led him to be one of the best Real Madrid players in their entire history.
Luka Modric and his teenage love for Barça
Modric had pressured the Dinamo Zagreb, his team at that time, to facilitate his signing for Barça. The technicians of the Catalan club, led by Txiki Begiristain and with the support of legends such as Johan Cruyff with whom Modric bears a physical resemblance, They saw the then young Croatian on numerous occasions and were impressed. The reports about his talent were excellent, but the negotiations did not reach a successful conclusion.
Dinamo's strong man, Crazy Mom, He was looking to make a big deal and asked for a considerable sum for his star.. Although half of Europe followed Modric closely, including clubs like Ajax, Werder Bremen, Schalke, Chelsea and Tottenham, It was Daniel Levy., the owner of the London club, who was ahead of everyone. Levy traveled to Zagreb on a private plane and closed the signing for 21 millions of euros, an offer that Barça decided not to match.
The story of Luka Modric and the photo with the Barça shirt
Modric, who in those days had visited Barcelona incognito and attended matches at the Camp Nou, moved to London, where he began to stand out in the Premier League. His desire to play for Barça was left behind, and his career took a different direction when in 2012 he signed for Real Madrid.
In Madrid, Modric became a fundamental pillar, winning numerous titles, including 6 Champions League, and being recognized with the Ballon d'Or in 2018. His performance with the white club and with the Croatian team, where he reached the final of the World Cup in Russia in 2018 and the semifinals in Qatar 2022, consolidated his place among the greats in football history.
Ivan Rakitic, former Barça player and close friend of Modric, He recalled on several occasions how they joked about how close he was to signing for Barcelona and about his posing with the culé shirt in 2014. Rakitic even told him that Modric was “more culé” that he, but he also recognized the pride of competing against a professional of his caliber in LaLiga and the Champions League. Even though destiny did not take him to the Camp Nou, Modric found his place at the Santiago Bernabéu, where he became a Real Madrid fan at heart.