00:01The individual star of Russia 2018 did not finish with a winner's medal,
00:07but Luka Modric demonstrated the range of passing and control of tempo
00:11that earned him the nickname the Puppet Master.
00:14Luka Modric carried Croatia almost single-handedly to the World Cup.
00:19The Croatian captain was a deserved winner of the competition's golden ball
00:23for his pivotal role, guiding his side all the way to the World Cup final.
00:30It came as no surprise when, soon afterwards,
00:33he ended Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's 10-year Ballon d'Or duopoly.
00:41It's a great honour, and I'm very happy after receiving this great award.
00:47I've worked hard to be where I am today.
00:53This year has been fantastic.
00:57It wasn't just one of the best, it was the best of my life and my career.
01:04I have won a lot with Real Madrid, and with Croatia, I reached the World Cup final.
01:09And also, I won a lot of individual awards, like this one.
01:13So this year is just unforgettable.
01:15I will remember it forever.
01:22This was peak Messi and Ronaldo, which just goes to show how incredible Modric was
01:27at the World Cup and for Real Madrid.
01:30Four years later, Modric was at it again,
01:32winning the bronze ball for the tournament's third-best player
01:36after leading Croatia to third place.
01:39For me, it's always most important, the team.
01:44And I would change, of course, all my individual trophies
01:48for that trophy and World Cup champion.
01:51He is an unlikely superstar.
01:54Although a standout in Bosnia, then Croatia,
01:57he was an understated footballer,
01:59not the eye-catching creative force he would become.
02:03Modric was a star at Spurs.
02:05They didn't really know how to get the best out of him at first,
02:08often playing him off the left side.
02:10But they eventually moved him inside and started to see his true potential.
02:14But really, for the Premier League, he was too much of a craftsman
02:17and too subtle for English football in general.
02:21His profile grew at Tottenham Hotspur,
02:24then transformed following a 2012 move to Real Madrid.
02:28But not immediately for the better.
02:31During his first season in the Spanish capital,
02:33a Marker newspaper poll saw fans single out Modric
02:37as La Liga's worst signing.
02:41Things quickly changed.
02:43I think he's been performing for the last 10 years at his best level.
02:50And for him to take his team to the World Cup final
02:54is quite a big achievement.
02:56I like this kind of story.
02:57And if he wins the Ballon d'Or,
02:59I think it will be everything but deserved.
03:04At Real, Ronaldo's goal-scoring feats hogged the headlines
03:08and Madridistas adored the leadership of Sergio Ramos.
03:12But it was Modric who knitted everything together
03:14and made the team tick as his side
03:16and hoovered up multiple UEFA Champions League titles.
03:23I'm happier than ever.
03:24I've always enjoyed playing football.
03:27I love football.
03:29I love what I do.
03:30And especially now,
03:32because you never know for how much longer
03:34you can last at this high level.
03:36I'm doing everything in my power
03:38to keep myself here for a few more years.
03:42I make an effort because there's nothing better for me
03:45than being a Real Madrid player.
03:51Boasting the technique, tempo and temperament
03:54of the quintessential modern midfielder,
03:57Luka Modric has earned his place
03:58as one of the very best on football's greatest stage.
04:02Luka!
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