DANNY MURPHY: I’m rooting for Croatia to win the Nations League to cap Luka Modric’s career
DANNY MURPHY: I’m rooting for Croatia to win the Nations League to end Luka Modric’s amazing career… the Real Madrid icon is the ideal person for Jude Bellingham to emulate
- Modric could win his first major trophy for Croatia in the Nations League final
- Both of our Premier League careers ended in the same game in 2012
- Modric has enjoyed an incredible career at both club and international level
I wish Luka Modric the best of luck on Sunday as he tries to end his incredible career with a first major trophy for Croatia against Spain in the Nations League final.
There aren’t many I’ve played against that are still doing well, but Modric continues to perform at an incredibly high level at 37.
Coincidentally, my last Premier League game in 2012 was also his when Spurs beat Fulham.
But while I was only 12 months away from retirement, he has won the Champions League five times with Real Madrid, reached a World Cup final and won the Ballon d’Or!
I played against Modric 10 times. When he first arrived in England he was neat and tidy, but the ability to dominate games by dictating the pace came later.
Luka Modric could cap off an incredible career as he leads Croatia to their first major trophy
During his last season with Tottenham Hotspur, it was clear that Modric was destined to achieve great things
The multiple Champions League winner will be someone Jude Bellingham can learn from
By his senior season there was a conversation in our dressing room about where he was going to go because it was clear he was headed for big things.
As an opponent, I liked that he didn’t engage in gossip or whining at referees. If you won the ball with a fair tackle, it wouldn’t roll around and claim a foul.
I’m not sure Jude Bellingham will get too much verbal advice from Modric at Real Madrid, but he will learn a lot just by watching the way he plays and behaves.
I know he has won bigger trophies than the Nations League but to see him with a medal to mark his merits for Croatia I will keep my fingers crossed for them.
