The dust has settled since Saturday night’s Champions League Final. And although ‘Super Mario’ Mandžukić scored one of the best Champions League Final goals of all time, it was Luka Modrić and Real Madrid who stole the show; sticking in four goals against Juventus. The same Juventus that kept Lionel Messi and Barcelona scoreless over two matches.
Since coming to Real Madrid in the summer of 2012, where the midfield maestro was considered a bust, Modrić has now tallied three Champions League titles in the past four seasons for Los Blancos. Real also won the La Liga title this year for the first time since 2012. And although Modrić isn’t a goal scorer whose name is on the scoresheet every game like a Ronaldo, the man keeps his troops in line. And it showed Saturday versus Juventus where Modrić not only pulled the strings in the Madrid midfield, but he also broke up multiple Juventus attacks while being the main force behind Ronaldo’s second goal.
Modrić Highlights vs. Juventus
Now the question lies. Is Luka Modrić the best Croatian football of all time? And if he’s not, how close is he to earning that title?
C’mon now ! Scoring machine Davor uker is the undisputable best Croatian football player ever, especially for the national team as the all-time top scorer with 45 goals:
Euro 1996 QF
World Cup 1998 3rd Place + Golden Boot + Silver Ball
3rd FIFA World Player of the Year 1998
Golden Player for the UEFA 2003 Jubilee anniversary (the only Croat on the list)
And the above doesn’t even include leading Yugoslavia’s scoring when they won the 1987 FIFA World Youth Championship (6 goals, second-top scorer of tournament and winning the Adidas Golden Shoe award), as well as all his club success with Sevilla and Real Madrid.
No sorry, Modric is very good but his scoring abilities are nowhere near comparable to Suker who would single handedly score goals out of nowhere. Possession and assists are great, but it has to be backed up by way more goals then Modric is capable of…
After the Dujo Čop performance against Mexico he now cracks my top 100 greatest
How quickly people forget how well Kranjcar played whenever he wore the checkers
niko kranjcar is one of the if not the most skillful player we’ve had. Bliss. Elegance.
Pre-injury Eduardo was fine & dandy. I wasn’t a big fan pre-injury, because it was during a time when international soccer was almost becoming club soccer (ie recruiting foreign players, not of the respective country’s descent.)
I wasn’t a fan post-injury bc as soon as his big $ making days were over in Europe, he went back HOME to Brazil to play. He used the word HOME, not me. If someone is born in Brazil, calls Brazil home, descends from Brazilian parents/grandparents…not such an insult to call him Brazilian. If Eduardo would not be insulted, not sure why anybody on this site would be insulted.
Zee, always respect your opinion, you’re one of the few gentlemen of this site.
BZ, it’s a my favourites list. If you do a your favourites list, you can include Modric and I wouldn’t complain.
@bz. Good point. Missed the modric omission. Obviously he right there. But about da silva he was a good player. Had a knack for goal. Had that special talent that the ball seemed to find him. He is a croatian citizen. He not Brazilian. Might be born there but married croatian. Neither was the kovac brothers born in germany. Rakitic simunic and the list goes on and on so give dude a break.
My top 6 with years they made their biggest national team contribution:
1)Suker-1996,1998
2)Modric-2008,2016,2018
3)Boban-1996,1998
4)Perisic-2014,2016,2018
5)Jarni-1998
Tie 5)Mandzukic-2012, 2018
@zee -you do realize you just pointed out that Brazilian Eduardo was not on the top 25 list of croatian soccer players WITHOUT noticing Modric is not on the list…just saying.
Some major lustration needs to be done on your part.
@anon- I’ll give you a redo, or else will assume you are trolling us.
@anonymous. I hear you bro. But i would put him there . Teffific soldier for us. But i respect your opinion as i hope you respect mine. Anyway lets win this game on Sunday and we can all exhale for the summer. Haha.
Zee, it’s a my favourites list. Eduardo was a good player, but just missed out on my top 25, also Nenad Bjelica was unlucky to miss out.
Eduardo was at his best right before the injury… we’ll never know how good he could have been…
But, how many of these players were considered to be in the discussion of “best at their position” during their careers… That’s what separates Modric, Suker, Boban and Prosinecki from the rest.
The sample size for Club vs. Country is so vast that one must look at the professional careers. These guys only play a handful of meaningful HNS games per year. Of course, going deep in the WC or Euros does carry a lot of weight.
Ok anonymous. I agree with basically everything you post. But where is da Silva in you list. Are you being ignorant? Once you put on the checkers and you perform and pledge allegiance to our flag. He ok in my books!
Zoran Mamic was a good player, didn’t play a lot for the repka, but we were a real good team back then, anyway I remember him from his time at Bochum.
http://www.branchofscience.com/2014/07/nineties-kit-of-the-week-vfl-bochum-9799/
We are a blessed people to produce world class players.
Just watched Greece v BiH
Late second half:
Greece on counter
Sets up player on the right of box
Him and the keeper
Shot sails over everything!
Nogometaš puts that on frame and probably scores.
Bog i Hrvati
@Anonymous
Nice to see Zoran Mamic crack your 25!
Damn we’ve had some talent.
A lot of it somewhat wasted though..
Even our best players could have finished their careers a bit better. Woulda been nice to see anyway.
Zuti, Krunchie, Eduardo, Boksic, Bilic.
Even Suker and Boban.
I’d say the most consistent right to the end were Olic and Srna.
Anon. Pretty good. But you missed Eduardo..he better than 80%of those guys. Always scored huge goals for us.
1. Suker
2. Boban
3. Asanovic
4. Jarni
5. Boksic, Vlaovic, Olic, Soldo, Stanic, Rapajic, Vugrinec, Perisic, Rakitic, Kovacic, N. Kovac, Stimac, Bilic, Jerkan, R. Kovac, Simunic, Simic, Jurcevic, Srna.
24. T. Gabric
25. Z. Mamic
My top 25 is based on my favourites.
I mean what are we basing this off of? Silverware? Numbers? Elegance of play?
1. Suker
2. Modric
3. Eduardo
4. Boban
5. Prosinecki
6. Srna
7. Niko Kovac
8. Niko Kranjcar
Go away truth troll!
JB,
game, on the tv grid, is listed as being on one of the “sportsnet world plus” channels.
no one ever said corluka doesn’t bleed for the colors (although maybe not well)….that guy has a legitimate injuries…. half these other guys like messi-boy rakitic or me-first kramaric would suit up in a second with these “injuries” if it was club time. I don’t believe for a second rakitic would miss el clasico with this “injury”.. and kramaric managed to play an entire season with his “injury”, but now suddenly can’t make it through and instead of trying to rehab, goes to Ibiza for a week and takes pictures with his shirt off
bleed for the colors??? I think not
as for my own soccer experience, lets just say I used to be a pretty good athlete back in my day
It’s a bit scary. I’m sure many are looking for their vacation
Luka got to have another killer game
They know the importance win this and we have a foot in Russia and we ain’t gonna German barbarsoa disaster it when we get there!!
@Soul Champ- Are you sure Tudor ended up on the Iceland roster? I missed that.
Jedvaj looked solid defendively at RB, but did little to show he has offensive talent to replace Srna/Vrsaljko. I think I would just go 3-5-2 or 3-4-1-2 for this game, but that is what we played in our Estonia disaster so….
Brozovic “the viking slayer” hasn’t done much recently, I hope he can shine again.
I am never happy when Badelj is a no-brainer to start.
Reminder: Kalinic was our goalie in the Estonia disaster, but slso vs Mexico (where he was positioned right, but didn’t control the ball as well as I would have thought.)
This is a sneakily important game.
Subasic scored a free kick once for monaco
Kalinic
Mandza kova Peri
Badelj Modric
Is what I’m pretty sure of
I see the “disadvantage” of all these injuries as an opportunity for all depth to shine through.
Kovačić needs 90 minutes.
Brozovic is due for a breakthrough.
Jedvaj looked very good against Mexico at RB.
Rog needs minutes to put down the hammer in midfield.
Nikolai Kalinic has had a stellar season.
Lovre Kalinic has talent to bring in between the pipes.
Fran Tudor ran himself into the squad.
Cop can score.
Perišić and Modrić are World-Class.
Mandžukić is always hungry to BEAST and will light up when he is deployed in front of goal.
This match will represent the depth we bring to the pitch as a footballing power.
I pray Čačić makes second half subs that keep our energy up.
Vikings will run hard for 90+, especially at home.
U boj
On another note. The absence of Subasic makes the friendly against Mexico all the more crucial as preparation for Lovre Kalinic, who had to tend the goal behind a weak lineup. Let’s hope he has improved his air game.
@The Truth- I highly doubt that you ever have played a season of professional soccer, let alone in a top ten league. Pjaca suffered his injury playing for Croatia. Don’t tell us that Corluka doesn’t bleed for the colors—he literally bled all through his time in Euro 2016. These injuries are not fabricated; they are a consequence of very demanding athletic competition. I explain to you the Idiot’s Guide to Professional Sports because you consistently demonstrate that you are a complete idiot.
Ya anon. I lthink lovren gonna be stellar. Just a hunch.
Happy to see Lovren back
Truth troll you’re a jerk! Get lost.
Truth, your mama bleeds after I’m done with her!
Any confidence that all these players are suddenly too injured to play once their season is over?. Can’t say these guys bleed for the colors
Subasic out -add that to the list…Corluka,Vrsaljko,Rakitic, Pjaca, Kramaric…a pretty good team.
@tgad-I’d be OK with that lineup sans Subasic obviously.
Idk maybe I just watch too much but yeah at Swansea clearly shite but I think years ago he was at a Portugal club who was in Europe doing decent
On a side note, we need to play top teams in friendlies. Don’t want us to get hit in the mouth again in Russia.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/firing-claudio-ranieri-wont-fix-leicester-city/
here is a good link from fivethirtyeight on Leicester city this year trying to fix their slump by changing coaches. it comes from a site that actually uses stats and truth to tell their points unlike some of the old men on this site who like to rest their beliefs on unfounded dogma.
the site is not perfect, a good example is there prediction of trump having a 35% chance to win the election, whereas most places had sworn trump off in the election, including the huffington post which gave him a 1% chance of winning. Unlike fivethirtyeight, they failed to realize trump was within the historical margin of error and the correlation among swing states.
they learned truth the hard way. eventually i’ll teach it to those on this site as well
Idemo, I believe we essentially agree. As I said, Portugal has the trophy. I’d rather have the trophy than a “superior” style of play. Their coach was the MVP in my books. Eder though? Zero goals at Swansea City that season going into the Euros—hardly a world beater (but he certainly was that day).
We have to hope our mindset is correct for this match. For Iceland, this match is vitally important. They can join us on 13 points at the top of the table and they know the home game will be their opportunity to get the best of us… there is also the revenge factor of course.
I don’t see Rakitic being out as a huge issue. I think he’s a great player, but we have great depth in midfield and Cacic has not quite figured out how to get the most out of him and Modric when they’re on the pitch together.
I don’t think we should play for the draw, but we should play to keep a clean sheet. The burden should be on Iceland to get the points.
JB,
Sportsnet has several games on their channels, but Iceland-Croatia looks like it’s not one of them. If you subscribe to Sportsnet World you can get the game via their on-line version.
As far as the game goes on Sunday, I think Brozovic will start rather than Kovacic.
FIFA should get rid of this date as a WC qualifier. Players are physically and emotionally drained and in their minds have already started their vacations.
Croatia has played some of their worst qualifying games in June – largely due to many of our stars advancing far in the Champions League.
WorldCup 2018 will be Croatia’s last realistic attempt to equal the ’98 team accomplishments for quite awhile.
Mamic attacked yesterday by someone who punched him from behind and knocked him into the sea.
http://sportske.jutarnji.hr/nogomet/hnl/sokirani-zdravko-mamic-za-sn-progovorio-o-huliganskom-napadu-ne-osjecam-se-dobro-boli-me-glava-srecom-ljudi-su-me-izvukli-iz-mora-i-spasili/6204726/
plz dont compare Man U players under SAF to Man U players under LVG and Moyes
Great quote Brkic!
Wow. Big deal
Rakitic won’t play against Iceland. I predict a 4-4-2:
Subasic; Jedvaj, Lovren, Mitrovic, Vida; Perisic, Kovacic, Badelj, Modric; Kalinic, Mandzukic.
Subs: Rog, Pasalic, Cop
zivot leti kapetane….pocivaj u miru bozjem dragi nas Drazen 7.16.1993
@Dannyj-I don’t think Mandzo can be a left back. LW yes, but it is a completely different skillset. His left foot is not strong or accurate enough to be LB, nor can he dribble out of tight spaces(especially to his left)
Mandzukic at CB. I honestly think he could.
Now Perisic at LB, is my dream in 3 years, when our young wingers mature/recooperate from injuries.
@Brkic
“The coach matters plenty… just look at Man U under Sir Alex and since.”
You believe that Alex Ferguson would win with this current squad? Remember when Alex retired then decided to stay on, to win a title or two more, I always thought that he retired when he saw that the writing was on the wall for Man Utd.
There are three types of lies in this world… lies, damned lies and statistics – Mark Twain
The coach matters plenty… just look at Man U under Sir Alex and since.
Don’t be fooled into thinking a coach matters too much. The stats show as long as someone is not an idiot, there is not much difference. In soccer, like in baseball, nba, and hockey, the players win the game. . Hasn’t mattered Steve kerr is not on the warriors bench. Nfl, college hoops and college football coaches more important than players
“The best” on talent or production on the ptich?
Good question.
Production! The reason I say that is because both Messi and Ronaldo have won the Fifa world player of the year multiple times, of course Messi is the more talented player (which is what Poglavnik meant) and that doesn’t change when Ronaldo wins the award. Ronaldo wins the Fifa world player of the year because he produced more than Messi in the season for which he won the award.
That’s my opinion.
Stop talking nonsense.
let’s figure out why someone like Zidane with less experience can make such an impact to Madrid? because he is not a coward, he knows every player well and conducts his tactics based on player advantage then mobilize them properly (not to conceal their potential).
why Portugal won the tournament?
because of our coach with his cowardliness story. they allowed Portugal to make their way give us a pressure as if they are better than us (our player was deluded and choose to discredit themselves)
24 years ago today, Drazen Petrovic was killed in a car accident…RIP
Let’s talk bout this when he retires he still has a good couple of years to make greatness
At least this World Cup and hope one more euro.
They are all great in their own way. It’s like comparing hockey players from different eras. They are all great but times change so it’s all relative
Till then how do we qualify. Do u guys think mandzukic could seriously made into a lb for us??
What are your starting lineups for Iceland
Messi has been on HGH since he was a kid.
Not sure why he is the “natural” and Ronaldo is the engineered one?
Cr7 slides into Cr9 and allows Zidane to rest him even more than he will score goals galore for another 2 years.
Luka Modrić has had the most consistent top flight 4 years of any modern day nogometaš.
Josip Skoblar (iz privlake) was a goal scoring machine for Marseille back in the day.
Boban is the only nogometaš that comes close to consistent play at the top flight. He was captain of AC Milan when they were IT and serie A was king.
Žuti was a genius but 4 packs a day break the body down.
Šuker is special because he had most of his magic on the pitch for Croatia (playing with a crew of legends).
Alen Boksic (my favorite player) was beast who got robbed of ’98 glory due to untimely knee injury.
“The best” on talent or production on the ptich?
Šarić NBA ROY.
Modrić GOAT nogometaš.
@Idemo- I agree, but everytime anyone mentions the Portugal game, I have to say: Don’t forget refereeing, ie the stamps on our stars that barely got a 2nd glance.
And why are you emphasizing ONE? How many do we have? And once again Greece did a job to the T, would you not take a ugly tournament win for Croatia?
It was eder. He’s actually pretty known
. They won they tournament and they are not the best, which can be the case in sport. Our match we were better than them in style and game but they did what they did all tournament against us. They got their counter and Bam. Their style might not be attractive to u their 11 might not be the “best” but they are champions. The coach gave them directions the players did a job.
Let’s put Portugal’s ONE tournament win into perspective. Sometimes it comes down to a fair bit of LUCK in tournament play. Remember Greeec won the European Cup too and they SUCK. Ronaldo was sitting on the bench when Portugal won. Do you remember the name of the winning goal scorer? Nor do I. It was some middling player on a lower level EPL team that barely scores at club level. Anyway, when it all comes down to the end, a victory is a victory and Portugal has the trophy. However, let’s put Ronaldo’s national team influence into perspective.
1) Zuti
2) Suker
3) Boban
4) Modric
Don’t care how many CL’s Luka wins I don’t have that order changing.
The key word is “team.”
Not a who’s who of big club players.
Just like Greece were the best “team” at Euro 2004.
As hard as that is to admit it’s true.
neither Ronaldo or Messi is what they were a few years ago. Ronaldo is a totally different player now than compared to his time at man u
luka was horrible in his beginning at Madrid. looked lost.
but that is old news. best ever Croatian player ever. current best center mid.
By that rationale every player on the winning team is better that every player on the losing team… winning matters, but it doesn’t conclude the debate.
Portugal WAS the better team.
They got through three more rounds and lifted the cup after beating us so how is that even arguable?
you gotta be kidding me, Ronaldo over messi any day! He has too many things over messi, as for modric, superb player but šuker carried us on his back!
Slavonac: “the better player gets the results, doesn’t matter how he gets there.”
Poglavnik: “So are you saying Ronaldo is the better player?”
Slavonac: “I’m not suggesting Ronaldo is better, I’m just saying that under him, his teams are more successful.”
Poglavnik: so the better team gets the results is what you meant?
Slavonac: yes, that’s right.
Poglavnik: was Portugal better than Croatia?
Slavonac: better team gets the results, doesn’t matter how they get there. Result is all that matters at the elite level.
Ronaldo has maximized his potential. An athletic freak with a crazy work ethic.
Whereas Messi is way more natural.
The guy had kidney stones a couple of years ago (in his 20’s!) and had to be told to cut down on pizza and pop and yet he’s still managed one of the most illustrious club careers of all-time.
I would love to see Messi leave his comofort zone in Barca to see if could dominate elsewhere like Ronaldo did.
Let’s enjoy them while we can because there is no one currently even near them.
He is definitely the best of this generation and one of the best Croatians of all time.
If Boban, Suker, or even Boksic had the same exposure to psychological training, nutrition, fitness training, plus many more factors; they would be completely different players.
I think its very hard to compare players of different generations.
Poglavnik,
I’m not suggesting Ronaldo is better, I’m just saying that under him, his teams are more successful. I doubt Portugal is as good as Argentina is but Ronaldo makes the difference for them. Messi is a genius, but he has to prove it with Argentina, like Maradona did…results matter at that level!
Preface: I don’t like Ronaldo…Ronaldo is 3/4 the player he used to be, but in his old age, he got better than Olic in Olic style tap ins.
So are you saying Ronaldo is the better player?
He could be when all’s said and done.
He seems like the better athlete.
Let’s see if Messi’s still scoring 40 a year at age 32
Poglavnik…”Ronaldos won CL’s with 2 different teams and a Euro so id say he’s more accomplished but he’s not as good as Messi.”
the better player gets the results, doesn’t matter how he gets there. several times I’ve repeated this…back in Croatia, coaches and the public have a general understanding. a striker can be invisible for 89 minutes, but if he scores, covjek je zavrsio svoj posao…the man completed his job!
Messi hasn’t gotten there yet, he still can but so far he hasn’t!
Modric!!. do you want to surpass Suker in your career at the national team, I know you dream about the top level manager of National Team. Everyone, without a doubt, thinks we can make it at this stage with some excellent players we ever have. But we dream for a decent coach to lead our best team to the finest level. Our best players with their overwhelming skill down to the drain because of our current manager with his lack capability to manage the team
I can only judge by NT greatness because, to me, that is all that matters: Suker still reigns supreme
He just needs a glorious run next summer.
No disrespect
Respect the lively debate.
Šuker played with a CREW of World-Class Hrvati.
Modrić has played much of his 20’s with scrubs.
Plus he should have played more in that 2006 World Cup.
If Modrić captains us to glory in Russia then the debate disappears.
@ Slavonac
Boban is the best comparison to team presence.
@ Svima
I feel Modrić has 2-3 more years at top level.
Dude is our Pirlo.
He may have another chapter to write.
Nope!
He might be our most accomplished but that’s a different thing.
Kind of like Ronaldo and Messi.
Ronaldos won CL’s with 2 different teams and a Euro so id say he’s more accomplished but he’s not as good as Messi.
good comments Maminjo!
Modric is the best Croatian footballer ever, but Suker is still ahead of him by a fair margin in terms of National Team impact.
Suker scored like 50 goals for us in 70 games.
Very few players can replicate their club level scoring at NT level. Suker exceeded it.
Suker was always there too. He seemed like he dressed every single game he could for us. There were countless games where we were without players like Boban, Prosinecki, and the oft-injured Boksic…but Suker seemingly never took a game off and was always in that lineup (even if it was just him and a bunch of scrubs playing in a friendly).
Modric pulls the strings like no other, but there have been many games where he was invisible. Suker was always visible and present, and was always a looming threat for the opposition. Even in the (few) games he didn’t score, he had an impact.
There were many games where we struggled, and then a Suker goal came from nowhere and we won. Ireland game, Greece game, …so many random victories lol.
I love Modric (and I absolutely hate the buffoon that Suker has become), but I would be lying if I thought that Modric was on Suker’s level for NT duty.
Modric is the better player with the much better career, no doubt, but is second at best to Suker at NT level.
in terms of club consistency and achievement, sure give it to modric. but best Croatian ever goes to suker. its indisputable. suker achieved for the national team, luka did not. luka is great with great players. suker was great enough by himself to drive the outcome
I also think this article about Luka Modric by Marca is worth posting here, which proclaims:
“All hail Luka Modric, the best midfielder in the world today and arguably the best in the capital club’s history.”
http://www.marca.com/en/football/real-madrid/2017/06/04/593443dde5fdea5a0c8b45a2.html
In terms of overall footballing ability, Modric is our Best ever.
In terms of consistent level of play, Modric surpasses Boban, Prosinecki, and Suker. Luka has maintained this high level of play for many years. Plus, Luka has gotten more starts playing at the highest level.
Modric also had a more successful club career, winning 3 CL titles and more.
The “bust” comment comes from the MARCA reader poll from 2012 when Modric was voted “La Liga’s worst signing”.
Obviously, sentiment has changed since that time…
Yes, he’s our best ever. Suker probably wins most effective/influential for our NT, but hopefully this golden generation can match or pass the last at the 2018 WC.
Suker, Modric, Prosinecki and Boban stand above the rest, but we have a couple more players that are capable of joining this group in the coming years.
Luka was considered a “bust” in 2012? damn, now you sound like Ziva Istina!
Croatia have had some very good players at midfield over the years, Modric has been the player that has been consistent, reliable and he’s continued to improve. I remember when he could barely shoot well enough to hit the net, now he’s taking cracks from distance, using either foot.
The closest player we can compare to Modric (from Croatia) would be Boban. Not in playing style but in importance to his team and role as a player. Boban was also a very responsible player that was creative, reliable and he had great vision…Luka, IMO, is far more active than Boban was…demanding the ball…covering far more field space and performing his offensive and defensive duties extremely well!
The usual complaint about Modric is when he plays for our National Team. people often say he isn’t as effective as he is on Real…there are a few things to say about that.
Modric is surrounded with guys he plays with a few times/year, there’s a difference in that vs training and playing together daily. He is still very capable and offers a lot to the team but the differences he has with Real Madrid are very noticeable. Look at who anchors him and allows him a bit of freedom with Real vs who anchors him with Croatia…Casemiro/Varane/Ramos…now look at Badelj/Vida/Corluka…we can go on and name several more players, cause we seem to have had several changes…but I think its easy to see we are below great in those positions while at Real, Modric has vicious man-eaters supporting him…which gives him a bit more freedom and less defensive responsibilities.
Is Modric the best ever? I think he’s the best in his position that we’ve seen, Boban was right there with him…different times, different scenario’s…Boban had the best drop kick in the head of all time 🙂 when he smashed that cop…maybe that gives him the edge over Luka? …kidding
Anyone know if the Iceland game is on TV in Canada?
Luka “the BEST” Modrić !!!!!!!!!!!!
He captains a deep run in World Cup 2018 then he becomes immortal.
Start film production please.