I meant at his age now, he can't do everything by himself. Of cos he needs the right set up to maximise his shelf life. I said he is still a great player but need a right set up. Was that mis-leading?
So where is Modric rated in best CM’s of all time ?
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My favourite of modern times. I think he's top ten, easily.
guy was playing alongside Hundredstone and Jenas in cm and still earned the Madrid move, he deserves all the praise
He wasn't that great tonight. If you put aside he is 37. But one thing stuck with me and that is Livakovic being dropped a while ago and him going to the manager and Livakovic himself saying he is the best keeper he seen in a national team.
He really is the leader and his mentality just spreads around players that are few levels down from elite ones.
He really is the leader and his mentality just spreads around players that are few levels down from elite ones.
His performance tonight reminded me of Zidane's performance against Brazil in 2006 WC in Germany..a legendary one..
This was nice,although I don't know what mistakes he means
Has it ever been discussed how/why SAF didn't go for Modric in 2008?
Was having just signed Anderson and Hargreaves the summer before and chasing Berbatov that summer?
Was having just signed Anderson and Hargreaves the summer before and chasing Berbatov that summer?
It wasn't like our midfield at that moment was bad.
We probably should have gone in for Modric to replace Scholes.
As you pointed out, we went for Berbatov who was arguably the bigger talent at the time. And after that, SAF said we’ll never be able to get from Levy again.
Wasn’t Modric still a LW/Inside playmaker around that time?
Being affraid to come at crosses and generally being a bit shaky in the national team.
I know it's a bit of heresy on here but I genuinely think there's a case for him to be even higher than xavi in the all time rankings.
More versatile, better longevity and a legit mentality monster.
More versatile, better longevity and a legit mentality monster.
For me it's impossible to differentiate between Xavi, Iniesta and Modric.
I personally would put Iniesta slightly lower than the other 2 but yes it's incredibly hard to differentiate between the three.
Midfield maestros at their very best.
Yeah, seems to be the accepted ranking. I couldn't say whom I'd prefer if United were able to sign them as 20 year olds. Iniesta was absolute magic.
Personally I'd prefer modric if not for his longevity alone but you really can't go wrong those lot even if you tried, Spanish folk have been pretty luck to have the 3 best midfielders of the last 15 years in their league for such a long time.
And yes a young Iniesta was sensational, always rose to the occasion when it came and probably has the most memorable moment out of the 3(the wc final goal , that Chelsea goal etc etc).
This. Modric has been incredible. And his work-rate and energy are just freaking amazing.
@Gio started his Final too soon.
Modric is incredible, but Xavi is still a level above him.
The only thing Modric has on him is he's a better ball carrier.
The only thing Modric has on him is he's a better ball carrier.
One of the best in history IMO.
Obviously I place the likes of Xavi, Iniesta, zidane, platini etc ahead of him.
Obviously I place the likes of Xavi, Iniesta, zidane, platini etc ahead of him.
Or how the old caf poster Scholsey saying Modric was the best midfielder in the league before anyone knew him. He was literally laughed at on here.
I am little biased, wife is from CRO, but he is one of the best.
When the people says he is in some bracket under Xavi, Zidane ect... is he really?
What he did for CRO is amazing, and he was beast for RM...better than Zidane imho. Love Zidane but I would take Modric anytime over him.
Xavi and Iniesta without Messi would be club version of today Spain. Modric won CL without CR.
And I remember when he was on loan to Zrinjski, he was good even on potato fields.
When the people says he is in some bracket under Xavi, Zidane ect... is he really?
What he did for CRO is amazing, and he was beast for RM...better than Zidane imho. Love Zidane but I would take Modric anytime over him.
Xavi and Iniesta without Messi would be club version of today Spain. Modric won CL without CR.
And I remember when he was on loan to Zrinjski, he was good even on potato fields.
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You can rate Xavi and Iniesta higher individually. But to do that you must look at them as individuals and not as a collective. The midfield domination associated with them was not the product of a single player; Spain or Barcelona weren't doing it when it was just Xavi and they weren't doing it when it was just Iniesta.
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I actually think he’s better than Xavi and Iniesta were
Xavi is arguably (not really) the pinnacle of what that type of midfielder can be. People really should stop being lazy or dismissive of him or bunching him with Iniesta to diminish his brilliance.
Xavi and Modric would be suited as a tandem in a midfield as you don't really want one doing the job of the other, so not really a direct comparison.
Xavi and Modric would be suited as a tandem in a midfield as you don't really want one doing the job of the other, so not really a direct comparison.
Xavi and Iniesta are my favourites.
I have Modric ahead of Zidane at this point. Absolutely unreal player.
I have Modric ahead of Zidane at this point. Absolutely unreal player.
He's so much fun to watch, have been dreaming of a midfielder like him at utd for ages..think de jong is a level below
That midfield domination from Spain and Barcelona definitely got worse without Xavi though.
It's almost inarguable.
Modric is way ahead of Xavi for me.
Maybe same level as Iniesta and a level below Zidane.
Xavi works in a tikitaka system. I doubt he could do it in a team like United or Liverpool. Modric on the other hand would work in tikitaka system and any other system as well.
Maybe same level as Iniesta and a level below Zidane.
Xavi works in a tikitaka system. I doubt he could do it in a team like United or Liverpool. Modric on the other hand would work in tikitaka system and any other system as well.
If Croatia once again get to the final it would be difficult not to have him in the top 5 of all time midfielders. What he's doing in that side and what he's done in a top side like Madrid is incredible. I know this tournament at times he has shown signs of his age (as he did last year in the CL) but he provides moments of world class quality and assurance that is vital to a side like Croatia making it this far into a tournament. The nerves of steel to be the third penalty taker for Croatia and nail it time and time again...just sheer class.
Has earned his place amont the other greats like Xavi, Iniesta, Pirlo, Zidane etc.
I would rank Zidane as the best because of that enigmatic ability he had to win games almost single-handedly. Modric doesn't quite have that. He influences in a very different way.
I'm too young to remember other greats from the early 90's and before, and I don't like to speak about players I haven't really seen.
I would rank Zidane as the best because of that enigmatic ability he had to win games almost single-handedly. Modric doesn't quite have that. He influences in a very different way.
I'm too young to remember other greats from the early 90's and before, and I don't like to speak about players I haven't really seen.
Easily among the best ever.
It's as if football reverts to the 80s around him. He always somehow manages to receive the ball in space to carry it forward.
Top 5 of all time.
Berbatov may have been a flashier player but he was never the bigger talent. This is arguable but what is more important is to note that there was absolutely no need for Berbatov at Utd as we were brimming with attacking talent already, whereas Scholes was obviously ageing with no successor in sight.
Me and my mate @Pat_Mustard have been championing L.Modric for a while now
True. But peak Xavi was the common denominator driving the success of the system. When he was missing Spain/Barcelona struggled. When his powers waned, both club and country fell apart and his club had to change their entire midfield style to get back to the top.
Agree with this - it’s only Xavi for me who is a notch ahead, and Modric is as good as it gets as a hybrid of the ball-dominating and counter-based midfield styles. He keeps layering up his CV in a way that’s almost unique amongst the great midfielders. I can’t think of another central midfielder who has sustained a world-class level for over a decade.
This right here with Livakovic, his empathy for Rodrygo and the incident with Essien where only Modric and Carvalho showed up for his birthday proves he is one of footballs finest men of all time. For me that counts for something.
Playing wise he is definitely in that top 10 CM of the past 30 years bracket. Some would have him at #1, others at #4. It's down to preferences but he is among Xavi, Iniesta, Zidane, Pirlo, Seedorf, Kroos, Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Yaya Toure bracket. Personally I'd pick Zidane #1, Iniesta #2, Modric #3, Xavi #4, Seedorf #5 but it's ever so close between true Masters.
What is clear is that he played with Prime Kroos, Casemiro, Valverde, Raketic, Kovacic, Brozovic and was clearly the best out of all of them even though most of them were Elite or World Class.
Consider everything, he's one of the best of all times for sure. His longevity at the top levels( La Liga, UCL, and international tournaments) is immense level. Today Modric's couldn't be compared to his 2016-2018 version( which was his peak version and a bit more consistency in league games), but he is still one of the best central midfielders in the world. He's an almost complete central midfielder and the master of " pre assist" which you regular see it. He shows some of decline in the past 2 years, but anyway his stamina at 37 is out of this world and still work hard on both phases. At the moment, he's still the most press-resistant in this planet. It's difficult to take the ball from him without fouling.
All 3 are simply incredible players, but Modric versatility and adaptability are being overlooked somewhat imo. He can play pretty much anywhere -other than striker or in defence- and in any system, and still look world class. That is very rare indeed.
In that regard, he has far more than simply ball carrying over Xavi, who was more of a specialist in my view.
Consider the current hype surrounding Bellingham and the marvelling at his wide range of attributes and potential contributions. Extremely rare to see such a varied skillet at such a high level.
Whatever level he eventually reaches, he is certainly going to have to go some to be even remotely comparable to Modric, and the incredible standards of performance and achievement he has produced consistently -at the very highest levels, and Spurs!!
- over many, many years.On par with the likes of Matthäus and Xavi