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Croatia's win against England in the World Cup semi-finals is a feat in itself, but that means more than you think, especially for captain Luka Modric.
as the red and white checkerboard boys defied all odds, claiming a 2-1 win.
For a country of only 4.1 million that gained independence in 1991, it is quite achievement.
We will try to put in context, because what Croatia has achieved is simply extraordinary, "said Craig Foster, a former analyst of Socceroo and SBS.
" I look at all the previous finals of the World Cup and there were 20 today and you have to go back to Uruguay in 1930 and 1950 to talk about a country of this type of small population that makes a World Cup. "
Modric helped his team in the first World Cup final." The former refugee now earns $ 320,000 a week at Real Madrid
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He is one of the best footballers in the world, without a doubt, but there is a story that leads to his status of renowned and success that led him to become such a valuable player.
Modric, as many of The senior players survived much more difficult times than the tension of the World Cup of children during the Balkan War – and Modric's childhood was anything but traditional.
Born in 1985, Modric spent part of his childhood in the mountain Velebit warning of "Mines – Keep Out!"
The Man 32 years old spent his early years there and in the nearby village from Zaton Obrovacki to the independence war of the 1990s against Yugoslav communists and Serbian forces. He talks about his bruised childhood, but in 2008, when he signed for Spurs, he briefly touched on the difficulties of his childhood.
"When the war started, we became refugees and it was really a difficult time." 9659002] "I was six years old, it was really difficult." Luka Modric in the semi-final of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. Photo / Getty Images "src =" data: image / png; base64, R0LGODlhAQABAPAAAOrq6v /// yH5BAAAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw == "data-srcset =" // www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/m0S_yzLq4ATqzOyZaMgRIZsKiQU=/320×215/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd- prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/EUQUCATRSBGBRFTLT6CRXCBTWQ.jpg 320w, // www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/AmI143vLsf1MsFO9sGAkElbere4=/375×252/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod 375w, // www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/lW6tSX3TqTivDkqYt6m99drV03M=/620×416/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod- nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/EUQUCATRSBGBRFTLT6CRXCBTWQ.jpg 620w "/>
Although 39 he has lived in a hotel for many years and he had financial difficulties, there was one thing that gave him hope
"I've always loved football. His mental strength and his football ability have a lot to do with his past.
In a recent and rare interview he said, "I never relax because if you relax at football your level goes down and it can be difficult to get back to it. the day I retire. "
" I think that a lot of things that happened to me when I was a child in Croatia left me feeling that I should never have Mitigate. "
Even a close childhood Modric's friend was in agreement, believing that such a baggage had contributed to his character and his mental strength
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does not show on the ground, Modric fought against an education – his grandfather also called Luka, was executed by Serbian militants.
It is understood that he lived with a young Luka and his parents who were later forced to live as refugees, passing from one inn to the other. Josip Bajlo, the coach of the first team of first division club NK Zadar, told AFP that he clearly remembers a child who hit a ball against a wall of a parking lot of the hostel.
19659002] "I heard about a hyperactive little boy who was constantly playing with a football in the hallway of a refugee hotel, and who was even sleeping with him", said Bajlo
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It was at this point that Modric began to make a name for himself as a brilliant player.
Bajlo described Modric as "the greatest player in our history" and immediately enrolled him for club football.
"Already the children saw in him what we all see in him now in terms of football," Bajlo told AFP
Fast forward to the early 2000's Modric party for Dinamo Zagreb Before joining the English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur in 2008.
Tottenham scout Eddie Presland, was heading to Zagreb in 2007 to see a promising Brazilian striker named Eduardo, reported the following day. AFP, but another player caught his attention, Luka Modric. 19659002] Eventually, Presland returned three times to watch Modric before – aware of Newcastle's growing interest – Tottenham President Daniel Levy flew in private jet to Croatia to sign it in the summer of 2008.
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While some players were not fully convinced of Modric's "lean" appearance, his skill and general attitude quickly changed the course of things
"He is like Raul ". Jarni. "He leads with his football and his efforts, he does not need to scream or make a big show."
Modric has been working hard on his physique since he left Spurs for Madrid for £ 30 million ($ AU53 million) in 2012, "said AFP
. Last October, Modric was named for the third time in the FIFA FIFPro team, selected by thousands of professional players. In 2015, he became the first Croatian to vote on FIFPro XI
For Modric, one can only assume, there was no better feeling than when this final whistle blew against the # 39, England in the semifinals of the World Cup. ] The country, its players have a lot to celebrate. Despite a difficult past, they managed to create a new story – their first World Cup final.
"What Croatia has achieved tonight is, in sports terms, not only football, but also world sports history." Sports analyst Foster concluded.
Croatia joins a Exclusive club of 13 nations who reached a World Cup final in a tournament where the Brazilian, German, Argentinean and Spanish powers made early departures 19659051] When he was 6 years old, his grandfather was shot dead.
His family became a refugee in a war zone.
He grew to the sound of exploding grenades
The coaches said he was too weak and too shy to play football. [19659041] Today, Luka Modric has just taken Croatia to the first #WorldCup #CROENG pic.twitter.com/plOsy9nQcq
– Muhammad Lila (@MuhammadLila) ] July 11, 2018
