Introduction 1 - Alex Ferguson
Preface 2 - Zvonimir Boban

CHAPTER 1.
Golden Boy
CHAPTER 2.
The Storm and Stress Era
CHAPTER 3.
The path to recognition
CHAPTER 4.
Overcome everything
CHAPTER 5.
Dinamo Renaissance
CHAPTER 6.
London Life
CHAPTER 7.
Real Madrid
CHAPTER 8.
Zidane Rhapsody
CHAPTER 9.
Russia World Cup
CHAPTER 10.
The world's best soccer player

Acknowledgements
Translator's Note

Standing tall as the world's best soccer player
The Football Life Story of Luka Modric

Luka Modric, a key player for Real Madrid, the world's most prestigious football club, and captain of the Croatian national team, the runner-up in the 2018 Russia World Cup!

Born in a small town in Croatia, he was recognized for his talent while playing for his hometown club Dinamo Zagreb, and in 2008 he transferred to Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League, where he began to attract attention as a midfielder with outstanding skills.
Modric, who moved to Real Madrid in La Liga in 2012, showed consistent performance with his characteristic sincerity and contributed to Real Madrid's unprecedented achievement of winning their tenth Champions League title and their third consecutive Champions League title.
He also led the Croatian national team to victory in the 2018 Russia World Cup as captain, defeating strong teams and achieving the feat of finishing as runner-up.
Thanks to these dazzling performances, Modric swept all the best player awards including the 2018 FIFA World Player of the Year, FIFA World Cup Golden Ball, and Ballon d'Or, and was recognized as the best football player of the century.
This book, which summarizes his football career, records all the hardships and moments of glory that Luka Modric went through to become a world-class football player.


A refugee soccer boy who lost his grandfather in the civil war
Why he was able to grow into a world-class soccer hero

Born in a small village in Croatia, Modric grew up in a poor but harmonious family, receiving much love from his grandparents and parents.
As a child, he was enjoying playing soccer, considering the soccer ball as the best toy. However, in the aftermath of the Croatian Civil War, he lost his grandfather and was forced to leave his hometown and flee to an unfamiliar city, where he lived as a refugee for 5-6 years.
Even while living an unstable life, not knowing when a shell might fly, he never lost his love for soccer and continued to practice and hone his skills.
The chaotic environment of his formative years, which could have easily become a trauma, actually became a stimulus for Modric to focus solely on soccer.
Thanks to his parents' devoted support, he regained stability and began to show rapid growth, revealing his talents in the youth team.
And starting with Dinamo Zagreb, he was able to build a successful career that continued with Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League and Real Madrid in Spain's La Liga.


Modric grew up with a fear of the game from a young age, which forced him to mature quickly, and this led him to always put the team before himself.
Although he was not a natural leader, he faithfully fulfilled his role as a leader by putting the team first and setting an example for other players.
Through this book, readers will be able to witness the process by which he established his own values ​​by focusing on his constant dedication and becoming the outstanding soccer player he is today.


With love and devotion to family and those around us
The soccer player who reached the top

At the beginning of this book, Luka Modric suddenly recalls his childhood memories of the moment when he achieved his dream of becoming the world's best player by winning the Golden Cup as a runner-up at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
He recalls the tragic death of his grandfather, who gave him the name Luca and taught him love and devotion to his family, and confesses that losing his grandfather deeply traumatized him during his childhood and greatly influenced his perspective on the world.
Although he grew up amidst the terrible tragedy of his family's death due to the civil war, his parents' wise teachings on how to be a good person helped him to have a positive outlook on life.
As a result, Modric was able to make his dream a reality by focusing on his goal of becoming the best football player in the world.
The sacrifice of his parents, who dedicated every moment to making his dream come true, also played a role in keeping him from losing his love for his family and strengthening his heart whenever he was in danger.


His human side is evident not only in the scenes where he talks about his family and childhood friends, but also in the scenes where he confesses his affection to the directors who taught him during his childhood.
A particularly representative example is the passage where he describes in great detail the influence of coach Tamagoj Vasic, who taught him responsibility, respect for rules, and dedication during his time at the Zadar youth academy.
Modric recalls each of the connections he made with the people who have been with him, and speaks in detail about the process he went through to get to where he is today.
His humanity is also fully revealed in the process of marrying his wife Vanya, who has become the most important family to him, and in the passages where he expresses regret and gratitude toward his wife for her sacrifices for him.
Ultimately, it can be seen that the reason Modric was able to grow into the world's best soccer player was not only his sincere efforts and outstanding soccer skills, but also his love and dedication to his family and those around him, which served as an important foundation.

The protagonist of the 2018 Russia World Cup underdog myth
The responsibility of being captain of the Croatian national team

This book details the Croatian national team's run to a second-place finish at the 2018 World Cup in Russia from the perspective of Modric, who was the captain at the time.
The process by which Croatia, once considered a fringe of world football, defeated the powerhouses one by one through overtime and fierce penalty shootouts is strikingly similar to the myth of reaching the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup that we experienced.
Croatia's journey to the finals, despite exhausting themselves and suffering from injuries due to the constant overtime, is relatable as it mirrors the Korean national team's journey to the World Cup semifinals.
In particular, there is a strange sense of foreboding when Modric had to endure a barrage of criticism from the media when his performance in national team matches fell short of expectations, unlike his performance in his club.


In any case, Modric, despite suffering psychological pain due to his testimony in the trial of his former team's agent and minor conflicts with his teammate Mandzukic, played a major role in uniting Croatia's golden generation and helping the Croatian national team achieve its best results at the World Cup, the world's greatest stage.
He never lost his sense of responsibility as captain of the national team, even in moments of crisis or hardship, and ultimately displayed his best skills, successfully establishing himself as the best player not only for his team but also for the world.


This book includes a message from Modric to Real Madrid fans celebrating the publication of the Korean edition of his autobiography, a loving foreword written by manager Alex Ferguson and Croatian football legend Zvonimir Boban, who showed special interest in him, and messages of support from teammates Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema.

Luka Modric, arguably one of the world's greatest midfielders and the greatest Croatian footballer ever, will reveal the true face of a humble football genius who overcame the trauma of a difficult upbringing to become a brilliant and accomplished footballer through his autobiography.


To Korean readers

“I am delighted to share my story with you.
I hope that my story in this book will inspire you to pursue your dreams and give you the strength to never give up.
“Thank you to everyone who supports me and my team, Real Madrid.”
- Luka Modric

From the translator's note

“Modric, who is well-deserving of the nickname ‘humble genius’, is a player who did not grow up in the heart of European football or start at a famous club, but reached the highest level that a football player can reach through his ‘skills’ alone, both at club and national team.
“I have no doubt that his dedication and thoughts towards the Croatian national team, where he was born and raised, will resonate deeply with Korean soccer fans who love and support the Korean national team.”
- Lee Seong-mo