Luka Modrić
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| Luka Modrić | ||
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Luka Modrić | |
| Date of birth | September 9, 1985 | |
| Place of birth | Zadar, SFR Yugoslavia (now Croatia) | |
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | |
| Playing position | Midfielder | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | Dinamo Zagreb | |
| Number | - | |
| Youth clubs | ||
2002–2003 |
NK Zadar Dinamo Zagreb |
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| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 2002–2008 2003–2004 2004–2005 2008- |
Dinamo Zagreb → Zrinjski Mostar (loan) → Inter Zaprešić (loan) Tottenham Hotspur |
98 (29) 22 (8) 18 (3) 0 (0) |
| National team2 | ||
| 2006– | Croatia | 27 (4) |
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1 Senior club appearances and goals |
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Luka Modrić [ˈluːka ˈmɔːdritɕ] (born September 9, 1985 in Zadar) is a Croatian football midfielder who currently plays for Dinamo Zagreb but has signed to join Tottenham Hotspur pending the granting of a work permit. He was named the Prva HNL "Player of the Year" in 2007.[1]
Many have compared his ability, style of play and even appearance to that of the great Johan Cruijff.
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[edit] Club career
[edit] Dinamo Zagreb
Modrić signed for Dinamo Zagreb as a 16 year old in 2002, but after a season with the youth side was loaned out in 2003 to Zrinjski Mostar in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina where he quickly showed his potential, becoming Bosnian League Player of the Year while still just 18 years old.[2][3] He later claimed that "someone who can play in the Bosnian league can play anywhere, man", referring to the physical nature of the Premier League.[3] The following year he was loaned to Inter Zaprešić and played one season for them, helping them to second place in the league and gaining the Croatian Football Hope of the Year award in 2004, before being recalled Dinamo Zagreb in 2005.[3] Such was the regard for his abilities, Modric was rewarded with a 10 year contract through to 2015.[2]
At his team Dinamo Zagreb he usually plays as playmaker, on the left side of the field. His natural position is that of central midfielder and he plays as playmaker solely due to his capabilities to cover that role as well and to leave room for designated defensive midfielders in Dinamo's 4-2-3-1 formation. He uses both feet to play, and his biggest strength is his swift offensive positioning without the ball, as well as his great ability to read and react to the game well in many situations.[2]
[edit] Tottenham Hotspur
Modrić agreed terms with Tottenham on April 26, 2008 subject to a medical and receiving a work permit. He was the Lilywhites' first signing of the summer, also the Premier League's first summer transfer.[4] The player's contract is for a period of up to six years beginning in the summer of 2008.[5] Tottenham have confirmed that the total fee to be paid is £16.5 million, equalling the club's record fee set by Darren Bent's move in 2007.[6]
[edit] International career
Modric's performances earned him a call up for international duty, playing for the Croatian U-17, U-19 and under-21 teams, and soon progressed to his country's senior national team[7]. He made his senior international debut in a friendly match against Argentina on March 1, 2006 in Basel, Switzerland.[3] At the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals in Germany he made two substitute appearances in the group matches against Japan and Australia. He scored his first international goal in Croatia's 2-0 victory over Italy in a friendly match played on August 16, 2006 in Livorno. He went on to become a natural starter in the Croatian team, making a large impression during their UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, which included double victories over England.
He scored his side's first goal of UEFA Euro 2008, a penalty in the fourth minute of their 1-0 victory against Austria in Vienna on June 8, 2008, after a foul on Ivica Olić by René Aufhauser.[8] The goal was the fastest penalty ever awarded and scored in European Championship history. Credit went to Modric who not only converted the penalty, but had also caused the attack which had won it.
[edit] International Goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01. | 16 August 2006 | Stadio Armando Picchi, Livorno, Italy |  Italy |
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Friendly |
| 02. | 7 October 2006 | Maksimir, Zagreb, Croatia |  Andorra |
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Euro 2008 Qualifying |
| 03. | 7 February 2007 | Kantrida, Rijeka, Croatia |  Norway |
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Friendly |
| 04. | 8 June 2008 | Ernst Happel Stadion, Vienna, Austria |  Austria |
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Euro 2008 |
[edit] Honours
[edit] Individual
- Bosnian League Player of the Year: 2003
- Croatian Football Hope of the Year: 2004
- Croatian League’s Player of the Year: 2007[2]
[edit] Club
- Croatian First League: 2006, 2007, 2008
- Croatian Super Cup: 2006
- Croatian Cup: 2007, 2008[2]
[edit] References
- ^ Modric HNL’s Footballer Of The Year. Retrieved on April 26, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e Goal.com Profile: Luka Modric
- ^ a b c d Modric in demand
- ^ "Spurs sign Croatian star Modric", BBC Sport, 2008-04-26. Retrieved on 2008-04-26.
- ^ Player Transfer - Luka Modric
- ^ "Spurs equal record fee for Modric", BBC Sport, 2008-04-29. Retrieved on 2008-04-29.
- ^ Kranjcar chases dream
- ^ Ian, Hughes. "Austria 0-1 Croatia", BBC Sport, 2008-06-08. Retrieved on 2008-06-08.
[edit] External links
- Luka Modrić FIFA competition record
- Luka Modric Player Profile
- Goal.com profile
- Modrić's career timeline and detailed statistics
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
Preceded by Eduardo da Silva |
Prva HNL Player of the Year 2007 |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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