The Italian newspaper 'Il Corriere della Sera', Luka Modrić, the oldest player in all of Serie A, spoke about AC Milan, his present, past, and future.
Luka, is it true that as a child you were a Milan fan?
“It’s true. I was a Milan fan because of the hero of my childhood: Zvonimir Boban, captain of Croatia, who came close to an incredible achievement at the 1998 World Cup in France.”
Croatia suffered a blatant injustice: in the semifinal, Thuram scored the equaliser after committing an obvious foul.
"For us it was still something incredible. A small country, emerging from a devastating war, was stepping onto the world stage. We all felt very proud. I wasn’t even thirteen yet, and my dad gave me a Milan tracksuit."
And here you are now, at Milanello.
"Life always surprises you. Things happen that you would never have believed possible. I was convinced I would end my career at Real Madrid, instead… But I had always thought this: if I ever had another club, it would be Milan. I’m here to win."
Is the Scudetto possible? Modric commented:
"At Milan you always have to play to win, only to win."
Already this year?
"It’s possible. But it’s a long road. In football you have to think match by match. If you start planning months ahead, you lose focus."
What is the secret to sporting longevity? How do you play at your level at forty?
"Love. Loving football, thinking football, living for football. Football, along with family, is the most important thing in my life. The secret is passion. Diet and training are secondary things. To stay at the top for a long time you need heart. In training I’m happy like when I played as a child."
But Modrić’s secret doesn’t stop there. You are one of the greatest footballers still playing, yet you seem like a normal person.
"Exactly. I love normality. A normal family, a normal life, the small things. I don’t feel unique. In my life I have never thought, not even for a second, that I was superior to anyone else. If I hadn’t been a footballer, I would have liked to be a waiter."
Croatia has fewer than four million inhabitants, yet it excels in sport, starting with football. In Russia in 2018 and in Qatar in 2022 Italy wasn’t even there, while you finished second and third. What’s the secret?
"Mentality. Knowing how to suffer, never giving up. We were taught that to achieve something you have to fight. And then you have to defend it. Talent matters, but it’s not enough. I believe the experience of war had an impact, in this respect, on my entire generation."
Italian football, on the other hand, is in huge difficulty. Is it a lack of mentality?
"Maybe so. But I hope to see you again at the World Cup. I grew up with the myth of Italian football."
Many see Pirlo in you.
"I thank them, the comparison honours me: Pirlo is six years older than me, he opened a path. But my idol, Boban aside, was Francesco Totti. In Serie A you had fabulous players. I watched them and told myself: that is the football I want to play."
Will Italy qualify for the World Cup in America?
"It’s not easy, the play-offs are two knockout matches, first against Northern Ireland and then, if you win, Wales or Bosnia. But I have faith."
What kind of relationship do you have with Massimiliano Allegri?
"Until he leaves the room I can’t tell you anything! Joking aside, he has an incredible personality. He’s a bit like Ancelotti: sensitive, funny, he loves joking around. But on the pitch, as a coach, he’s outstanding. He knows football like very few. I didn’t know him this well before, but I’m happy that today he’s my coach.”
Speaking of Carlo Ancelotti...
"Carlo is number one. It’s hard to find the words. For the way he is, not only for his qualities on the bench. We talked many times about Milan and about Milan the club, when we were in Madrid. For him too, this place was unique. I remember when I first met him. I was alone in the city. He called me and said: ‘Come on, come to dinner with me.’ We talked for hours, about everything. About football, family, life. Usually coaches don’t become close to players. He did."
What about José Mourinho?
"Special. As a coach and as a person. He was the one who wanted me at Real Madrid; without Mourinho I would never have arrived there. I’m sorry I only had him for one season."
The toughest of the three?
"Mourinho. I saw him make Cristiano Ronaldo cry in the dressing room, someone who gives everything on the pitch, because for once he hadn’t tracked back after the opposing full-back. Mourinho is very direct with players, but he’s honest. He treated Sergio Ramos and the last arrival in the same way: if he had something to tell you, he told you. Max is like that too: he tells you to your face what’s working and what isn’t. Honesty is fundamental."
What kind of relationship do you have with Ibra, now a consultant for RedBird, the fund that controls Milan?
"Good. When we see each other, we speak in our language, Serbo-Croatian, and nobody understands us."
Modric, Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to Milan in 2020 at almost forty. And he won the Scudetto.
"Let’s see if we can do it again. We’re in a good position in the table, there’s still a long way to go and there are many strong opponents, but it can happen. Never say never. We have plenty of room for improvement, the coach is doing a great job. Our objective must always be to aim for the maximum. We are Milan and that’s how it should be. For me, being here means closing a circle. Now, though, we think day by day. In football, as in life, you should never think too much about the future. After every match, there’s another one."
