Real Madrid icon, Luka Modric, will have a catalog of the best stories about the club in history, as he spent 13 years at the club during one of the two most successful seasons. This week he told the ballad of Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Modric arrived at the Bernabeu in 2012, in the middle of the Mourinho era, when he was trying to destroy Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona side. Despite struggling early on, Modric became a key player for Los Blancos, and he credited the Portuguese manager with his ability to overcome early difficulties.
“Special. As a coach and as a person. He was the one who wanted me at Real Madrid. Without Mourinho, I wouldn’t have done it. I regret having him for one season,” he told Corriere della Sera, as quoted by MD.
How Mourinho reduced Cristiano Ronald to tears
Asked which of the coaches he played under was harsh, Modric had doubts that he was the ‘special one’.
“Mourinho. I saw him make Cristiano Ronaldo cry in the dressing room, a man who gives everything on the pitch, because he didn’t chase the defender. Mourinho is very direct with the players, but he is honest. He treated Sergio Ramos and the new player in the same way: if he had something to say to you, Max would say it. [Allegri] it’s the same: telling you to your face what is right and wrong. Loyalty is the foundation.”
‘Carlo Ancelotti is the first’ – Modric
Regarding the best coach Modric has ever played for, the Croatian pointed to the current coach of Brazil, Carlo Ancelotti. The two left Real Madrid in the summer arm when they said goodbye at the Bernabeu.
“Carlo is number one. It’s hard to find words. Because of his personality, not just his qualities on the bench. We talked many times about Milan and AC Milan when we were in Madrid. This place was also special to him. I remember when I met him. He was alone in the city. He called me and said, ‘Come, you will have dinner with me.’ We talked for hours, about everything. About football, about family, about life. In general, coaches did not trust their players. He did it.”
Modric’s most important coach
Modric was also quick to give credit to one of his coaches back in Croatia, who he credits for his rise to professional football.
“Tomo Basic, in Croatia, when I was a child. He was my father’s friend. He taught us how to deal with injustice. He would hurt someone on purpose and see our reaction. Some were angry, others cried because they felt uncomfortable. He explained that in football, as in life, we saw everything, even exploitation.”
“And we would have to learn to deal with difficult times. There was a time when I was told that I would not be able to become a professional footballer because I was too young, too weak; he told me not to listen. What matters is what you think about yourself, not what others say. He was right. He assured me: ‘You will be the best in the world.’ Without him, without his words, I would not have reached where I am today.”
The 40-year-old midfielder has settled into a comfortable life in Milan, after signing for the Rossoneri on a free transfer last summer. Modric is on course to enter the World Cup as Croatia’s captain next summer, and has been an integral part of Milan’s squad.