Luka Modrić Reaches 300 Caps for Real Madrid, Hopes for 100 More

Daniela Rogulj

Luka Modrić has won four Champion League titles, four Club World Cups, three European Super Cups, one Spanish championship, one Cup and two Spanish Super Cups with Real Madrid.

Captain of the Croatia national team Luka Modrić played his 300th match for Real Madrid on Sunday, after which he said he hoped to have another 100, reports Gol.hr on April 22, 2019. 

“It’s been a while. It’s hard to say where I’ve changed, but I’ve progressed in all aspects, both as a player and as a person. What Real Madrid gives you, you cannot get from any other team, which has helped me grow. I am equally happy and proud to be here as I was on the first day,” said the 33-year-old midfielder. 

Modrić participated in the 3:0 win over Athletic Bilbao by assisting from a corner to Karim Benzema who scored a hat trick on Sunday. Club President Florentino Pérez handed the Croatian footballer a jersey with the number 300.

“That number means a lot to me. Every game makes me very happy and I’m proud and pleased to have played so many games. I hope there will be a lot more in the future,” Modrić said.

Modrić came to Real Madrid in August 2012 and is still on contract with the club until the summer of 2020, though the club revealed that they had reached an agreement to extend his contract until 2021.

“This shirt (with the number 300) I’ll keep in a special place where I have some of my other very nice jerseys. Some are from the World Cup, the Champions League and the Spanish Championship, and some are a reminder of the trophies won,” Modrić said.

“This jersey will be with the numbers 100 and 200. I hope I get one with yet another hundred added,” he added.

Modrić came to his 300th game in seven seasons with Real Madrid, with 202 victories and 17 goals scored. 

“It’s hard to pick one game during my time here. There have been many beautiful things in this jersey: debuts, the tenth club title of the European championship, the rest of the trophies… I hope to experience many more happy moments by winning trophies with this club in this jersey and always giving it my all,” Modrić added. 

The 2017/18 Champions League winners dropped out of the competition in the round of 16 this season, with Ajax being the better team, and they sit in 3rd place on the La Liga table, 13 points behind Barcelona in first. 

Last season, Modrić became the European and world champion with Real Madrid, and with Croatia, he played in the World Cup final and won the Ballon d’Or for the world’s best footballer in 2018.

“I had dreams and wanted to do great things with Real Madrid. But what I did individually and collectively overwhelmed my dreams. I am pleased about everything that has happened since I came here,” Modrić said, who became the Croat with the most games played for Real Madrid.

Apart from Luka, Mateo Kovačić, Davor Šuker, Robert Jarni, Robert Prosinečki and Igor Jovičević played for Real Madrid.

Modrić played 300 matches in six different competitions: 197 appearances in the Spanish Championship, 68 in the Champions League, 21 in the Spanish Cup, 6 in the Club World Cup, 4 in the European Super Cup and 4 in the Spanish Super Cup.

Most games were played in the 2012/2013 season (53), and in the 2013/2014 season when he played 51 times. In the current season, Modrić has played 43 games of which 26 have been victories. 

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page

 

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