From the limited minutes with his national team to the training sessions leading up to Sunday night’s clash with Fiorentina at San Siro. Luka Modric likes to plan everything, but yesterday the Croatian star allowed himself a break. He surprised the children, teenagers, and coaches of Milan’s youth academy after returning from international duty, keeping valuable energy in reserve for the Rossoneri cause.
In agreement with coach Dalic, Modric chose to start on the bench against modest Gibraltar (after playing the full 90 minutes against the Czech Republic). He came on for the final 20 minutes of the 3–0 win in Varazdin, helping to close out the match. The first to be pleased was Massimiliano Allegri, who seems unwilling to do without Luka at any point in this early stage of the season.
Around 2:30 PM CEST., the midfielder arrived at the Vismara training center, welcomed by director Vincenzo Vergine and the academy staff. Modric toured the facilities and met the young Milan players, from the youngest groups up to the Primavera squad. He recalled how, as a boy in Zagreb, he would ride his bike to training with the dream of becoming a footballer. Then came his advice: "Believe in yourselves. Playing football is the best thing that can happen to you. Work hard and enjoy it every day."
Vergine thanked him with words that described Luka perfectly: "For all of us, you are a role model. You are a player who puts talent at the service of the team’s goal, and that is what we try to teach our boys."
Modric entered Milanello quietly, putting away the 34 trophies and Ballon d’Or won over his extraordinary career. He placed himself on the same level as everyone else, with humility and drive. Through example, he inspired his teammates day after day in training and on the pitch, leading Milan with his usual mastery. Those who did not know him personally were surprised, especially considering the 40 years shown on his ID card. In Croatia, no one is surprised; they have always known Luka. That is why, with the national team, the captain manages himself freely. If he wants to rest, no one questions him. As Vergine said, Modric thinks in terms of “we,” not “I.”
He is one point away from securing qualification for his fifth World Cup, likely achievable in the next match against the Faroe Islands on November 14 at home. Mission nearly accomplished. The longer challenge is returning Milan to past glory, as he promised on his first day, though the early part of the season has already looked promising. Modric knows the league is a marathon filled with obstacles. Saving energy here and there could make the difference later when the stakes are higher.
He never avoids the fight, but his experience helps him decide when and how to use his class effectively. Against Gibraltar, he let others take the spotlight. On Sunday versus Fiorentina, Milan will need the Modric seen so far at San Siro, statistically the best passer in Serie A, with 367 completed passes, 91.1% accuracy, and the top figure for passes in the opposition half.
A technical, tactical, and ethical leader. In the first six league matches, Luka has not committed a single foul, despite plenty of physical battles. Against Napoli, in what stands as the symbolic match of Allegri’s revival, he left his playmaking role to defend the team’s one-goal lead until the final whistle, then fell to his knees in an old-school celebration.
A football artist capable of rolling up his sleeves and turning into a tireless worker, always with elegance. Modric loves to win more than anyone, but he insists on doing it his way, with class, even in hardship. And that attitude seems contagious. One only needs to compare today’s focused Milan to the disjointed version of a few months ago.
