Modrić plays mainly as a central midfielder but can also play as an attacking midfielder or as a defensive midfielder, usually deployed as a deep-lying playmaker.[6] Modrić is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world.
Born in Zadar, Modrić was signed by Dinamo Zagreb in 2002 after showing promise with his hometown club’s youth team. He continued his development in Zagreb before spells on loan to Zrinjski Mostar and Inter Zaprešić.
He made his debut for Dinamo in 2005 and won three consecutive league titles and domestic cups with them, being named the Prva HNL Player of the Year in 2007. In 2008, he moved to Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, where he led Spurs to their first UEFA Champions League appearance in almost 50 years, reaching the quarter-finals of the 2010–11 tournament.
After the 2011–12 season, he moved to Real Madrid for a fee of £30 million, where he became a key contributor under coach Carlo Ancelotti and helped the team to win La Décima, being elected to the squad of the season.
He won three consecutive Champions League titles from 2016 to 2018, and in all three years was elected to the squad of the season, as well as receiving the La Liga Award for the “Best Midfielder” in 2016 for the second time, and UEFA Club Football Award for the “Best Midfielder” in 2017.
Modrić made his debut for Croatia against Argentina in March 2006, and he has since participated in every major tournament that Croatia qualified for, including the 2006, 2014, and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
He scored his first international goal in a friendly match against Italy. At UEFA Euro 2008, he was elected to the Team of the Tournament, becoming only the second Croatian to ever achieve this honor.
In 2015, he became the first Croatian player ever to be included in the FIFA World XI, in which he was included once again in 2016 and 2017, as well in the UEFA Team of the Year in 2016 and 2017. He has been named the Croatian Footballer of the Year six times, tied with Davor Šuker for most wins of all-time.