"I want to win the Champions League," said Luka Modrić when he signed for Real Madrid in August 2012. Twelve years later, the Croatian football maestro became the most decorated player in the history of the "Royal Club" with 26 trophies and one of only four players in history to have won the most prestigious football competition in the world six times.

"No one gave me anything. I achieved everything by working hard. I never doubted myself, even if others did. I always believed I could get to where I am today, and thank God it happened. You don't have to be a giant to play football," said the captain of the Croatian national team, who, along with Nacho Fernandez, made history for the "Royal Club" as the player with the most trophies, a staggering 26.

No one in Real Madrid's 122-year history has won as many trophies. Numerous football legends such as Ferenc Puskás, Alfredo Di Stefano, Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Raul, Zinedine Zidane, Raymond Kopa, Luis Figo, Emilio Butragueno, and Ronaldo have graced the Santiago Bernabeu, but they all look up to Luka and Nacho.

Six Champions League titles, four Spanish league titles, five Club World Cups, five Spanish Super Cups, four European Super Cups, and two Copa del Rey titles make up Modrić's incredible collection of trophies won in Madrid.

Only four footballers in history have celebrated six times in the elite competition of the "Old Continent". Alongside Modrić, his teammates Dani Carvajal, Nacho, and Toni Kroos, as well as Real Madrid legend Francisco Gento, have achieved this feat.

In total, he made 534 appearances for Real Madrid and scored 39 goals. If Modrić indeed extends his contract with Real, he could achieve another feat at the club, becoming the oldest player to have played in an official match for "Los Blancos". Modrić has already surpassed Puskás in La Liga (38 years and 238 days) and the Champions League (38 years and 234 days), but he still needs to surpass 39 years and 36 days, the age at which Puskás played a Copa match.

Modrić also became the second oldest footballer in history to win the Champions League, achieving this at 38 years and 266 days. The only older winner was Paolo Maldini in 2007, who was then 38 years and 331 days old.

"He approaches every training session, every match, and every tournament exceptionally professionally and is rewarded for it. Luka does everything at the highest level," Croatian coach Zlatko Dalić would say.

Counting the trophies won at Dinamo Zagreb, Modrić's tally reaches a staggering 32 club trophies. In the colors of "The Blues," he won six trophies - three league titles, two cups, and a Super Cup.

He completed his miraculous career with three medals won in the "beloved jersey." With the Croatian national team, he won a silver medal at the World Cup (2018), a bronze medal at the World Cup (2022), and a silver medal in the Nations League (2023).

"There's no way Modrić doesn't deserve the title of the greatest Croatian footballer in history," believes Robert Prosinečki.

A special year in Modrić's career was 2018 when he won all possible individual awards. He was named the best player in the world by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), won the Ballon d'Or awarded by France Football, was named the best player in Europe by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), and the World Cup in Russia. Additionally, he was chosen as the world's best player by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) and received the award from the goal.com website.

Luka was six years old when his family had to flee due to Serbian aggression in 1991. The family moved to Zadar, where they were accommodated in the Hotel Iz. Luka took his first steps in football at the Zadar football school. As a child, he had a trial at Hajduk Split but didn't make it and returned to Zadar. His coach in Zadar, Tomislav Bašić, then arranged his transfer to Dinamo Zagreb, and Luka moved to Zagreb in 2000.

However, he faced challenges even in the "blue" camp. Dinamo sent him on loan to Zrinjski Mostar and Inter Zaprešić, and in 2005, he finally secured a place in the first team. He spent three and a half seasons with Dinamo, winning six trophies.

The next stop was London. In June 2008, he moved to Tottenham for 19 million euros. He stayed on the "Island" for four years before moving to Real Madrid for 35 million euros in August 2012.

In Real Madrid's ranks, Modrić fully developed his potential, becoming one of the key players of the "Royal Club."

He made his debut for Croatia in March 2006 in a 3-2 victory over Argentina, and the same year, he made two appearances in the World Cup in Germany. He played from the 78th minute in a draw with Japan (0-0) and from the 74th minute in a draw with Australia (2-2).

He scored his first goal on August 16, 2006, in Livorno in a 2-0 victory against the then reigning world champions Italy.

Modrić played in four World Cups (2006, 2014, 2018, 2022) and four European Championships (2008, 2012, 2016, 2020), making a record 174 appearances. Ahead of him is the upcoming European Championship in Germany.

AI-translated