Luka Modric is currently experiencing two sides of the same coin in the 23–24 season. He enjoys a level of importance with Croatia that he is not granted at Real Madrid. The ’10’ participated in the entire national team encounter against Turkey last Thursday, which resulted in a loss for the Balkan team. Additionally, he participated in the full game against Armenia (1-0) and more than an hour of the 5-0 demolition of Latvia during the previous international session in September. In an unprecedented move for his national team appearance, the checkered coach Zlatko Dalic replaced him in the 61st minute due to the Croatian team’s clear victory. If we go back further, he played 119 and 120 minutes in the two extra-time games for Croatia in the Nations League “Final Four.” Croatia lost to Spain on penalties.

For Modric, things are quite different at Real Madrid, where he has only participated in one-third of the team’s 990 minutes. Of the midfielders on the club, only Dani Ceballos has less playing time than him with 391 minutes. He is ranked fifteenth in terms of playing time. Toni Kroos, who has accompanied Modric in a thousand clashes, has also yielded to the youthful energy of Fede Valverde, Camavinga, Tchouaméni, and the recent addition Bellingham. However, the German has played 539 minutes, which is a considerably greater amount than the Croatian international claims.

Luka’s wager

Last summer, Luka Modric made the decision to extend his Real Madrid contract through June 2024. Five-time European champion football player with the White Club, he received an alluring offer from Saudi Arabia to become one of the Pro League’s top paid players. In spite of this, he gave priority to staying in Madrid, the city he has called home since joining the White Club in 2012. Modric had envisioned himself as a protagonist in Madrid for a long time, but reality has not supported this. As Carlo Ancelotti has repeatedly stated, the player has not concealed his displeasure in their private conversations or during their public appearances.

The most recent one occurred from his nation last Wednesday. For me, this is a novel circumstance. It’s true that I don’t play as much or as much as I used to. I don’t want holidays; I want to play all the time. I feel better and can prepare for the games better this way,” Luka remarked.

I want to play every three days if necessary, although there might be some benefits to this arrangement in the long run. The Croatian skipper believes, “This is a normal, natural process, and I accept it. I have to mentally prepare myself and move forward.” “I feel good physically and motivated, I feel good, full of energy, otherwise I would hardly be able to lead Croatia as captain,” Modric said from Zagreb.