The making of Luka Modric: From refugee to World’s star footballer

Talisman Luka Modric endured a brutal childhood as a refugee after his beloved grandfather was shot dead when he was just 6 years old. The captain of France’s World Cup final opponents had his world turned upside down when his beloved granddad was gunned down by Serbian thugs and was forced to live as a refugee When the Croatia captain was just 6-years-old, his entire existence was rocked by the shooting of his beloved granddad at the hands of militant thugs and he was forced to live life as a refugee in his war-torn homeland. But despite such hardship, that didn’t stop the ambitious kid from going on to become one of the best players on the planet and, now aged 32, a global superstar. On December 8, 1991, during the Balkan Wars, violent Serbian militia stormed Modrici, a small village near the Velebit mountains in northern Dalmatia and wrought terror on Croatian families who hadn’t escaped. One of those caught in the crossfire was Luka Modric Snr, who was walking his cattle up an abandoned street when he was cornered by a group of Serbians who brutally executed him along with five other locals. The idea was to send a message to other Modrici residents that they must leave their town behind, but it robbed the future Real Madrid midfielder of his grandfather. It hit Luka hard. He was being raised by Luka Modric Snr while his parents Stipe and Radojka worked long hours in a knitwear factory to support the family financially. After the incident, his parents were forced to leave Modrici and they sought refuge at the Hotel Iz in the town of Zadar. Without any electricity or running water, the sound of grenades and bullets became a daily occurrence for little Luka and his sister Jasmina, not to mention avoiding landmines potentially buried around any corner. But that didn’t stop the boy from kicking a small, punctured football around the hotel car park, dreaming that one day he would be able to leave his war-torn existence behind. It’s a rags-to-riches tale that’s testament to the four-time Champions League winner’s dedication and determination to succeed in the wake of an awful tragedy. Modric rarely talks about his hardship, but when he signed for Spurs back in 2008, he briefly addressed the issues that blighted his childhood. “When the war started we became refugees and it was a really tough time,” Modric revealed. “I was six years old. These were really hard times. I remember them vividly but it’s not something you want to remember or think about. “We lived in a hotel for many years as we struggled financially, but I always loved football. I remember my first shin pads had the Brazilian Ronaldo on them and I loved them. “The war made me stronger, it was a very hard time for me and my family. I don’t want to drag that with me forever, but I don’t want to forget about it either.” It’s that mental toughness that has served Modric well during his career. Don’t forget we’re talking about a man who missed a penalty in open play against Denmark but still stepped up in the shootout to send Croatia through to the last eight. He also took a pen in his country’s second penalty shooutout win over Russia in the quarter-finals that ensured their semi-final berth against England, which they won 2-1. However, when Modric was 10 years old he was written off by a number of coaches who thought he was too frail and shy to make it in the game. Hajduk Split passed on him and it was only when Tomislav Basic, a coach for a team that Modric played for in Zadar, stepped in and used his contacts to get Luka a trial at Dinamo Zagreb. From there his talent flourished, he went on to Tottenham and Real Madrid and is now a mainstay for both club and country, as well as being one of the most valuable footballers in the world. And his personal life couldn’t be much better either. He married Vanja Bosnic, who also acts as his agent, in 2010 in the Croatian capital of Zagreb. The pair first met at Mamic sports agency, where she worked. Modric’s former Tottenham and Croatia team-mate Vedran Corluka was the best man at their wedding. The couple’s first child, son Ivano, was born just three weeks after their wedding. Since then, they have had two daughters, five-year-old Ema and Sofia who was born last year. Bosnic is said to have such an influence on his life, she was deemed to be the person responsible for orchestrating his £30m move to Real Madrid. So, should Croatia and Modric be victorious against France on Sunday, perhaps we should try not to be too begrudging of their success.