Skip to content
Luka Modrić

Football · Midfielder

Luka Modrić

Croatian maestro Luka Modrić won the 2018 Ballon d'Or after leading Croatia to the World Cup final and has captured a joint-record six UEFA Champions League titles with Real Madrid.

CroatiaReal Madrid Active

Biography

Raised amid the turmoil of the Croatian War of Independence in Zadar, Luka Modrić signed with Dinamo Zagreb at 16, developing through formative loan spells before leading Dinamo to three straight Prva HNL titles. In 2008, he moved to Tottenham Hotspur, where his tempo-controlling play earned praise throughout the Premier League. In August 2012, Modrić signed for Real Madrid, initiating one of the most decorated midfield careers in European football. Alongside Toni Kroos and Casemiro, he formed the engine of Real Madrid's historic three-peat Champions League winners from 2016 to 2018. In 2018, Modrić captained Croatia on a heroic run to their first-ever FIFA World Cup final in Russia, winning the World Cup Golden Ball, The Best FIFA Men's Player, and the Ballon d'Or—breaking the decade-long duopoly of Messi and Ronaldo. Modrić continued to defy age, winning additional Champions League crowns in 2022 and 2024 to equal Paco Gento's all-time record of six European Cups.

Career timeline

  1. GNK Dinamo Zagreb

    2003 – 2008 · Won 3 Croatian league championships

  2. Tottenham Hotspur

    2008 – 2012 · Guided Spurs to Champions League quarter-finals

  3. Real Madrid

    2012 – present · Joint-record 6 UEFA Champions League titles; club captain

  4. Croatia national football team

    2006 – present · 2018 World Cup Golden Ball and national team captain

Major achievements

  • Ballon d'Or winner2018
  • The Best FIFA Men's Player2018
  • FIFA World Cup Golden Ball2018
  • UEFA Champions League winner (6 times)2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2024
  • La Liga champion (4 times)2017, 2020, 2022, 2024
  • FIFA World Cup runner-up2018
  • FIFA World Cup bronze medal2022

Personal life & family

Relationship

Vanja Bosnić

Spouse (m. 2010)

Children

Ivano Modrić, Ema Modrić, Sofia Modrić

Modrić married Vanja Bosnić in May 2010 in Zagreb after four years together. Vanja previously worked at the sports agency where they met. They have three children: son Ivano (born June 2010) and daughters Ema (born April 2013) and Sofia (born October 2017).

Sources

  1. Luka Modrić — Wikipedia (accessed 2 November 2026)
  2. Real Madrid CF — Wikipedia (accessed 2 November 2026)
  3. Croatia national football team — Wikipedia (accessed 2 November 2026)