The Croatian legend at the Gazzetta Awards: “I feel great here. I supported Milan as a child. The scudetto? It’s tough, Serie A is difficult, but…”
The Legend also drew applause off the pitch. At last night’s Gazzetta Sports Awards the first roar in the room was for him, Luka Modric, the former six-time Ballon d’Or winner of the Champions League. Wearing a black suit with a white shirt, the Croatian champion arrived together with two of his children, Ivano and Ema. First the photos and handshakes with the president of RCS MediaGroup Urbano Cairo, with the president of Inter, Beppe Marotta, the number one of Napoli, Aurelio De Laurentiis, the Nerazzurri captain, Lautaro Martinez, and the Granata striker Che Adams. Then the event began, with the Rossoneri number 14 taking to the stage first. President Cairo and the CEO of Fiera Milano, Francesco Conci, presented him with the recognition as Legend 2025. “It’s a very deserved award – said Cairo – and having a champion like that in Serie A is an extraordinary thing for our movement. I saw him on Monday in Turin (in Turin-Milan 2-3, ed.) and I preferred… not to see him (smile, ed). In my opinion he was born in 1995 (in reality he was born in 1985, ed), but then he got older.” Luka laughed amusedly at the joke and, although accustomed in his career to receiving important awards, he did not hide his satisfaction at already being… A legend in Italy too. “First of all – began the midfielder speaking in Italian – I want to thank the Gazzetta dello Sport. It is an honor to receive this recognition from such a prestigious newspaper.”
Modric, how does he manage to always be so decisive at forty years old, but above all to play with this continuity?
“I feel good, physically and psychologically, and I like what I do. I want to continue like this because I enjoy it. Everything is going the way I wanted.”
Now with Milan you are first in the standings, fighting for the scudetto. Better than that…
“In my opinion we are doing a good job and the goal is not to stop even if there are many teams fighting for first place. It’s tough, but we move forward. With confidence.”
What differences are there between Italian and Spanish football?
“From abroad, perhaps you don’t perceive how difficult Serie A is, but I assure you that yours is a very tough and competitive championship. I wasn’t surprised because I was prepared: I’ve known it since I was a boy, when I watched it on TV, and I’ve continued to follow it even in recent years. I knew what I would find and I was ready.”
Is this why you didn’t have any problems settling in at Milan?
“I’m happy because I play for what for me is the greatest Italian club of all. I enjoy every day that I’m at Milanello and that I wear the Rossoneri shirt. I never thought I could come to Milan until I was at Real Madrid, but in life sometimes things happen when you don’t expect them. It was a dream that came true because I was a Milan fan since I was little.”
At Milanello he found Massimiliano Allegri. What is your relationship with him?
“He’s a great coach, a winner (he repeats it three times, ed.). I enjoy working with him and he surprised me with his personality. He has a great ability to create a feeling with the locker room because he’s used to managing great champions: he helps you give your best and makes you feel calm so it’s easier to do what you have to do.”
“Good. My family and I get along well. I also understand Italian, but let’s say that I speak other languages better: Croatian, English and Spanish. But little by little I will learn Italian too.”
Meanwhile he makes himself understood… with his magic on the pitch and the Devil’s people are crazy about Modric.
“I’m happy. San Siro is a special stadium and our fans are exceptional.”
Speaking of Italian and Italy, you and your Croatia are already qualified. Wait for the Azzurri next summer at the World Cup?
“It would be a tragedy for you to miss the third World Cup in a row… I hope that Italy qualifies because at the next World Cup there will be all the best teams and Italy is one of the best. So it must be there.”
“The play-offs are always difficult, but I hope Italy can qualify. I’ll wait for you…”.
Meanwhile, the draw has reserved a group for you with some dangers given that you will challenge England, Ghana and Panama.
“England are… England, one of the strongest national teams around, but we don’t underestimate anyone. We are in a difficult group and we have to prepare well. However, the World Cup has a lot of time left and now we need to think about the present and Milan because we want to continue on this path.”
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