He was fantastic. As good as he is on the ball, his work rate is also absolutely phenomenal. Superb player!
Luka Modric
- Thread starter Eddy_JukeZ
- Start date
A Rolls Royce
How they are far ahead? Why the balon d'or is always to an attacking player/striker? Well, Canavaro was the exception. How is Messi better than De Gea, for example? I dont agree.
Because 50+ goal seasons for an entire decade hasn’t happened before. Goals win games, it’s a cliche but it’s just true.
Without Xavi/Iniesta and Modric/Kroos these teams lose a lot of what makes them great, but without Messi and Ronaldo they lose most of the trophies they’ve accumulated over the last ten years.
Messi is the GOAT in my opinion, and I’d have Ronaldo in the top three of all time, they deserve five each as no one has dominated football like they have, and I’m saying this as a Modric lover.
To think he got voted worse signing in his first season.
Has done immense things since he dropped back from no 10 role.
Has done immense things since he dropped back from no 10 role.
Had a very slow start like the rest of the Madrid team.
Logic should be mandatory in the school.
I didn't think he was anything special, especially offensively he provided barely a notable pass, it was a workhorse performance. Modric/Kroos have dropped off this year and not often been the best part of the side in the CL for me.
Especially in the first half.
Madrid looked a lot like us, only we didnt have many problems with Liverpool. For example Madrid's "ball playing" defenders and midfielders had more trouble passing to each other than our players.
Madrid finally got going and took over with the second half and goal
Xavi is a specialist. Modric has so much more in his locker. He can play anywhere in midfield and he can do Xavi's job a bit worse, but at the same time he can do real dirty defending and tackling, dribbling and driving the ball forward which Xavi was completely incapable of.
I guarantee you if Xavi had to play lone DM or a DM/CM in double pivot at any point in his career the game would just pass him by. Modric has showed he can do it all, and not just do it, but do it better then almost anyone because he's the most complete midfielder in history of the game, something specialists like Xavi and Iniesta can only dream of. The biggest locker is Modric's. No one's comes close. Redondo is close, but not close enough. The rest are just specialist who need things to be set up in a certain way for them to look superb. Modric just looks superb, period.
Ah, the blinkered Real Madrid fan with the Barcelona username returns.
Both Xavi and Iniesta played deeper for Barcelona earlier in their careers, both have played as the lone DM behind two further forward central midfielders.
Not sure what your point is, when did Modric play as a lone DM? He started out as a number 10, played wide left in a 4-4-2 earlier in his Spurs career before transitioning into a CM in a 4-4-2, alongside a more defensive holding midfielder like Huddlestone or Jenas.
Mourinho used him mostly as a number 10 in his only season, Ancelotti had him playing alongside Di Maria as CMs ahead of Alonso and he played in a double pivot with Kroos before Casemiro came back from Porto and Zidane settled on the 4-3-3.
Should have been Scholes successor. I wish SAF had signed him. I am willing to bet our post-SAF period would have been much much better if we had someone like him in the teams. Classy CMs like him, Scholes, Xavi, and even Carrick can transform the teams and make attackers and defenders look much better.
Definitely not at Xavi's level but one of the best I've seen and the very best CM over the last 4 or so years.
SAF tried, but Spurs rejected it and wanted to sell him abroad only.
It's funny how talented he is in creating, passing, controlling the tempo, shooting and so on, and it still doesn't stop him from contributing massively to defence. Ditto Kroos.
I agree. Fantastic performance.
What a player. Never a moment where he isn’t in total control. Joy to watch.
Football is about 10 players and a keeper. The keeper does not play the actual football, he stops the ball from going into the net. It's two different sports, goalkeeping and actual football, if we're being weird about it. You simply cannot compare a GK and a forward, it's not possible. A GK is important, but you can still win a tournament with only a mediocre guy at the back. You don't win anything with ten mediocre players and a fantastic goalie. To be even more silly, some of us could stand in goal for a top team and actually do an OK job if not bombarded for 90 minutes - but if we playing outfield it would be like playing with 9 players.
Interesting career trajectory. Rather than being an established name at the ages of 22/23, he actually just got his move to Spurs, then joined Real when he was 26 (?).
So Xavi is the more complete midfielder is what your saying?
Better at defending, tackling, dribbling, carrying the ball forward, more energetic?
Definitely prefer watching him to Xavi and maybe even Iniesta, but there's no way he reached their level IMO. He has turned up in a lot of important moments but Xavi's consistency really sets him apart. He was relentless for years while Modric has had ups and downs throughout.
The defining feature of Guardiola's Barcelona was their absurd midfield dominance. The fact it was replicated with Spain with Xavi at the heart of it underlines his role in that.
The defining feature of this Madrid team is much harder to put your finger on but it's more akin to Sir Alex's 99 team - unbelievable ability to deliver in the big moments. Totally agree that he, Marcelo, Ronaldo and Ramos are the key 4, but Modric definitely wasn't the key at any time. Xavi arguably was. Particularly this season when midfield play really hasn't been their strength.
Still, his elegance combined with his grit is beautiful to see. Reminiscent of Scholes...annoyigly so. I reckon he peaked with his short hair. That's when he started looking like a Balkan playmaking king.
The defining feature of Guardiola's Barcelona was their absurd midfield dominance. The fact it was replicated with Spain with Xavi at the heart of it underlines his role in that.
The defining feature of this Madrid team is much harder to put your finger on but it's more akin to Sir Alex's 99 team - unbelievable ability to deliver in the big moments. Totally agree that he, Marcelo, Ronaldo and Ramos are the key 4, but Modric definitely wasn't the key at any time. Xavi arguably was. Particularly this season when midfield play really hasn't been their strength.
Still, his elegance combined with his grit is beautiful to see. Reminiscent of Scholes...annoyigly so. I reckon he peaked with his short hair. That's when he started looking like a Balkan playmaking king.
Last edited:
One of my favourite football players of all time. I think this is emphasised further with a bit of self back patting as I used to have to defend him as a world class player to others when he was at Spurs. People used to reel off his goals and assists. Use your eyes.
Little Luka Modric. World class. He reminds me of Charlton's quote about all that's good about football re: Scholes.
The rot set in at our club when we didn't get Modric to replace Scholes and Bale to replace Giggs. Fate gives everybody a chance, we didn't take it and our destiny for the next 10 years is punishment for not pushing harder for them. We will be presented with players like that in front of our nose soon and we need to take it.
Little Luka Modric. World class. He reminds me of Charlton's quote about all that's good about football re: Scholes.
The rot set in at our club when we didn't get Modric to replace Scholes and Bale to replace Giggs. Fate gives everybody a chance, we didn't take it and our destiny for the next 10 years is punishment for not pushing harder for them. We will be presented with players like that in front of our nose soon and we need to take it.
Best midfielder in the world the past 3-4 years. Still can't believe no one in our league tried to sign him before Madrid swooped in.
Up there with the very best.
Up there with the very best.
Yeah maybe but at that time we were following our "value" strategy also. Who knows if we had been wolling to throw our weight around, Spurs and Modric could have been convinced.
Quietly been a pillar in one of the best sides ever. Very unglamorous and below radar, but arguably Real's most important player.
I'm as biased as the next guy but he hasnt reached Xavi's level.
In fairness to the club and Modric, with the way Sir Alex talked about Modric c. 2010 I'd be shocked if he didn't try to buy him. And if Modric turned us down I'd say his decision had been vindicated. Huge cojones to go there in the first place, but even more do for turning it around after such a meek start.
I thought he was lovely to watch at spurs but stuck out on the left wing I could never see him reaching this level. It was when he dropped into centre mid against arsenal, Chelsea and co. on their way to the CL for the first time that he looked a bit special.
Can't even remember if the car preferred Sneijder or Modric at the time but it was a definite discussion...hard to believe the direction they've both went since considering Sneijder is only 9 months older.
I prefer watching Modric to Xavi. Modric' little scoots with the ball to get out of trouble are football porn.
Modric as a player actually fuses qualities from both Iniesta and Xavi. Not saying he's better than either, just style of play he's not identical to either so hard to compare head to head with either as he's a bit of both of them.
I remember one of the Caf's mates, Graeme Souness always saying Modric didn't do enough/score enough etc. I gather Souness was a good player from people say but he's definitley not a football brain. Look at his managerial record. People should have that in mind when he goes after Pogba (although he makes some good points)
I'd love to point out to him his quotes on Modric. I remember shaking my head at the time.
I'd love to point out to him his quotes on Modric. I remember shaking my head at the time.
Agree on the style. Funny thing is our coach Dalić used him as a nr. 10 in few games and its a question if he'll play there in the WC or in his natural position.
Lets be honest though, both him and Kroos are not 'burdened' with goals in that team. When Pogba doesn't score people think he has had a bad game.
Chelsea wanted him but Levy didn't want to sell to a PL club.
It's funny how both his and Fabregas' careers have gone.
When they were in the PL Fabregas was almost unanimously thought of as the better player. Both went to the Spanish big two, Cesc fell off and just didn't look the part. While Modric went and thrived, and really established himself as one of the all time greats.
When they were in the PL Fabregas was almost unanimously thought of as the better player. Both went to the Spanish big two, Cesc fell off and just didn't look the part. While Modric went and thrived, and really established himself as one of the all time greats.
Modric by far one of my favourite players to watch in this era in which I've grown up. Up there for me with the best in midfield ala Scholes, Iniesta etc.
As has been remarked, his nous for finding space and dictating the passing game is a joy to behold. His deft touches, great technician off both feet, good vision. Brilliant brilliant player that I think is overlooked owing to the star wattage around him.
As has been remarked, his nous for finding space and dictating the passing game is a joy to behold. His deft touches, great technician off both feet, good vision. Brilliant brilliant player that I think is overlooked owing to the star wattage around him.
Do you remember the times when whole of the Caf used to laugh at the poster Scholesy for saying that Modric was better than Fabregas?
A divine footballer, just oozes class and experience. He also dribbles and drives the ball forward, a perfect player against Liverpool’s press. You saw the difference yesterday, confident full-backs with touch and passing, Modric always in control and running past players with ease. Huge, huge gulf in quality between him and the dross Pool could offer.
Quality beats «energy and pashun» on evenings like that
Quality beats «energy and pashun» on evenings like that
Not the most impressive game from Modrić, I thought — especially when you contrast it with the performance vs. Juventus at the Principality Stadium. But good on him and Bale for being ambitious enough to risk the move to Madrid at the time they did. A significant number of elite players and managers just don't have it in them to make it at the club, and you have to have a really strong will to make your mark there — and for Modrić and Bale in particular, they were heavily criticized by the supporters and media alike at various points in their Madrid careers, but delivered in several pivotal moments. 4 Champions League titles for both - not too shabby of a haul, and don't think they would have achieved remotely as much at some of the other clubs that were interested in them.
As regards Modrić's overall assessment from a historical standpoint, he doesn't quite deserve to be considered in the same tier, to be honest — fine margins, but Xavi will likely remain the benchmark for central midfielders for the foreseeable future with the likes of Matthäus and Rikkaard. However, Luka definitely has to be in the conversation for the best Eastern European central midfielder of all time with Bozsik, especially considering how similar certain elements in their respective games are/were - the way Modrić operates would be a good fit with old half-backs.
As regards Modrić's overall assessment from a historical standpoint, he doesn't quite deserve to be considered in the same tier, to be honest — fine margins, but Xavi will likely remain the benchmark for central midfielders for the foreseeable future with the likes of Matthäus and Rikkaard. However, Luka definitely has to be in the conversation for the best Eastern European central midfielder of all time with Bozsik, especially considering how similar certain elements in their respective games are/were - the way Modrić operates would be a good fit with old half-backs.
He wasn't even great in the final or in the Champions League at all, it was a bad season by his very high standards. He was much better last season. His role is to help control the midfield and the only CL game where Madrid controlled the midfield was the second leg against PSG when he wasn't playing.
I`d still sign him in a heartbeat.
Madrid got an absolute bargain when they bought him off Spurs. A silent maestro which makes their team tick. Always looks so composed on the ball.