On This Day Eight Years Ago: Luka Modric Was Presented As A Real Madrid Player

On August 27 2012, Luka Modric was officially presented to the public as a Real Madrid player, marking the beginning or an unforgettable legacy. Modric, still ticking, has become (probably) the best central midfielder the club has ever had.

Modric has played 343 games for Real Madrid, winning: 4 Champions Leagues, 4 Club World Cups, 3 European Super Cups, 2 LaLiga, 1 Copa del Rey and 3 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Balon D’or.

From the Managing Madrid archives, as written by Kiyan Sobhani in 2016 after Modric’s contract renewal:

In one of his first touches in a Real Madrid uniform, Luka Modric, just as Xavi Hernandez was breaking away in midfield to ignite an attack, snuffed the ball away from the Spaniard, thieving possession and allowing Real Madrid to sling back on their own terms.

That was four years ago, in his official Real Madrid debut. Modric was 26, entering his prime, and has continued his upward trajectory ever since. Four years on, and four more to go - his new contract sees him remain with the club until the age of 35; at the very least.

35. That seems like an eternity in the life of a footballer. It’s an age that represents, on average, the post-mortem of peak abilities. Yet, it looks impossible to be upset by the contract renewal. It’s a deserved reward to one of the most unique players of this generation, the most aesthetically-satisfying central midfielder on the planet, and a man who has lifted two Champions League trophies in half the amount of time he’s been in the Spanish capital.

This was one of the best signings in club history.