GdS: Vucetic, diet and analysis – how Modric remains at the top of his game at 40

After just three league games, AC Milan fans have already fallen in love with Luka Modric, who continues to defy age.

La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) write this morning how Modric could have a Zlatan Ibrahimovic-style impact, when he returned to the Rossoneri in January 2020. After a few matches, the Rossoneri are already seeing the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner and what he can bring.

Anyone who thought he was finished because he’d called it quits with Real Madrid will have to think again. Behind his Superman-like performances are hard work and attention to detail, including nutrition and rest.

Nothing happens by chance: Luka knows this well and is passing this message on to his team-mates, who have inevitably been infected by his obsession with his profession and the red and black shirt. He is setting new standards.

Sporting director Igli Tare and CEO Giorgio Furlani came up with the idea of signing him on a free transfer, and now Milan fans can enjoy him. Just as they did in the past with Ronaldinho (also a Ballon d’Or winner) and Davide Beckham, other top-notch signings from Berlusconi and Galliani.

Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Prevention is the cure

The foundation of Modric’s longevity lies in an exceptional physique, not so much in mass, but in explosiveness and elasticity. His particular strength lies in his legs, well above the average not only for 40-year-olds, but for the rest of Serie A players.

Nature played its part, and the rest was done by the Croatian champion, gifted not only with immense footwork but also with a work ethic that distinguishes the greats. In 2015, on the cusp of turning 30, Luka realised he needed to do something to postpone the end of his decorated career.

So, he turned to Vlatko Vucetic, associate professor at the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Zagreb. A true institution in Croatia in the study of the body-sport relationship, so much so that today Zvone Boban has recruited him to Dinamo to help develop the players in the youth academy.

Vucetic prepared a daily exercise program, tailored to the data collected during regular club training sessions. In practice, Modric began a half-hour routine before and after team sessions. This has allowed him, season after season, to perfect details such as posture, endurance and injury prevention.

Even so, Luka has reached 40 without suffering excessively from the passage of time. “Age is just a number,” he wrote a few days ago on X. On Sunday, he confirmed this on the pitch.

Diet and studies

One aspect Modric devotes great attention to is his diet. There are no special menus, but rather careful considerations based on the recommendations of the Rossoneri nutritionist and his own tastes.

For example, plenty of fish, which is the Croatian’s favorite dish. On match day, a generous carbohydrate intake, usually in the form of pasta.

He also pays close attention to rest: he knows the importance of sleep and tries to rest his body as much as possible. Especially after international travel, he wants to avoid fatigue and lactic acid playing tricks on him, but he also undergoes cryotherapy after matches.

It’s not just his muscles, though. Luka also uses his mind to stay sharp. How? By studying his opponents in detail. Taking advantage of the break – despite being busy with his national team – Modric watched every match of the first two Serie A rounds.

On Saturday, in training camp, he indulged in a football marathon, first with Juventus-Inter (after training) and then with Fiorentina-Napoli. It’s part work, part passion. Luka lives for football, literally. And that’s also why he chose Milan, his childhood favorite team.

He had plenty of offers, even very lucrative ones from Saudi Arabia. But the Croatian’s mentality is simple: as long as he feels competitive in Europe, he wants to play to win trophies rather than to fill his wallet, which has already been bulging after years of top-tier salaries with Real Madrid.

He’s signed a contract with the Rossoneri until 2026, with an option to extend it to 2027. After the World Cup, he’ll make a decision. Fans hope he stays, also in love with the city’s charm (he lives downtown), although the lure of ending his career in his homeland is very strong.