Luka Modric's journey with Real Madrid has been nothing short of remarkable, filled with a plethora of trophies and accolades, making him a standout figure in a team of stars. Reflecting on his illustrious time with Los Blancos, Modric recently took a moment to reminisce about his most memorable experiences with the club. In a special session, he was seen posing with various commemorative shirts, each representing different milestones and games he has played in for Real Madrid. One such significant milestone was his 500th appearance for the club, which occurred during a victorious 1-2 LaLiga Clásico against Barcelona. In an interview with the club's official media, Modric delved into the highlights of his incredible career, discussing the journey and the significance of each jersey from his collection of over 500 games. This retrospective not only celebrates his personal achievements but also underscores his invaluable contribution to Real Madrid's success over the years.
His words: “This shirt and all the others mean so much to me. Reaching this figure is incredible and I'd like to thank madridismo for their support during all these games. I'll continue to give everything for Madrid. Real Madrid is everything to me. It's part of my life, my family, it's a way of life. I'm from Croatia, I was born there, but I've been here for eleven years and I feel at home. I'm grateful for all I'm experiencing at the best club in football history”.
His 200th game shirt: “It's a special number. 200 games for Real Madrid is a lot and we'd already won La Décima in that period, which was incredibly special. I waited twelve years to win it and to win it like that, especially since I love the number ten, it was so special”.
Third Champions League in a row: “With this shirt (250 games), we won the third Champions League in a row in Kiev. It was incredible and something no team had ever managed previously. It's a beautiful jersey and they were some unforgettable years. It was a very successful spell, a period of enjoying time with my teammates, the way we played and competed”.
Ballon d'Or and individual awards: “I like the number 300. This shirt is special as well because it's the one I wore when I won the Ballon d'Or. I won the Champions League between the previous shirt and this one. Then I had that incredible World Cup with Croatia and then I won the best possible individual prize for any footballer. It was a dream and something I will never forget. This shirt holds a special place in my heart”.
A Clásico, a worldie, and 350 games: “We played against Barcelona, I started on the bench and I was eager to get on the pitch. I always want to play in the Clásico, they're such special games. The team was playing very well in that came and I came on for the final half-an-hour. When I came off the bench, something funny happened. I picked the ball up and Rodrygo was getting ready to come on too, in the technical area. He was dressed in white so I looked over and passed the ball to him but he wasn't on the pitch. It was funny, my teammates all laughed at me. Then Rodrygo did come on and we made a nice move. He set me up and I did a couple of feints and scored the goal. It was with the outside of the boot, it was really nice. I've liked shooting like that ever since I was a kid. It comes naturally to me and the more you practice, the better you get”.
400th appearance and an unforgettable Champions League: “In this shirt, I played another Clásico at the Camp Nou. We won again, it's always important to win those games. It was an amazing performance, so this is a special shirt. We also won La Decimocuarta in Paris with this one. That was a Champions League that will be remembered forever because of how we did it. We played against all the biggest teams in Europe and the way we won with the big comebacks at the Santiago Bernabéu. It was one of the most beautiful routes ever in the Champions League and this shirt is one of my most special”.
European Cups: “Winning five Champions Leagues is unbelievable. I never imagined it. When you come to Madrid, you know you're coming to a winning club that is destined to achieve big things like winning the Champions League, LaLiga and other Cups. But I never imaged I'd win five European Cups. It's a historic achievement. I still don't think we're aware of the fact we've managed this in so few years. It's absolutely unbelievable”.
Modrić, Benzema, Zidane and a Ballon d'Or: “The 450th appearance also has a special shirt. Scoring at the Santiago Bernabéu is always beautiful. I was the captain in that game, but what I remember is the fact Karim presented his Ballon d'Or. It was Zidane and I who handed him the trophy. Then I got the goal in the win over Sevilla and it was a perfect night”.
500 games: “It's incredible, I don't know what to say. Reaching this milestone is amazing. 500 games is a figure very few players have achieved for Real Madrid. To be among that select few fills me with pride. Besides all the awards and trophies, the recognition from the fans, who have always been behind me, has been the most important thing. You can't fool people. The love I feel every time I set foot on the Bernabéu pitch makes me very happy. So I always looked to repay that by giving it my all”.
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