16 hours ago
26
Real Madrid forward Rodrygo has shared some insight on how Luka Modric is able to stay at an elite level at 40 years of age.
Modric has been nothing short of a revelation since signing for Milan on a free transfer in the summer. He has slotted straight into the three-man midfield as the regista, and he is making the adaptation to Serie A look easy with every passing week.
A shower of praise has come from team-mates and pundits, and now his old colleague Rodrygo has shared some of the influence that the Croatian has had on him. He spoke to Diario AS (via AllMilan) about what playing alongside Modric was like.
“The years I spent with him were fantastic for me. Having the opportunity to learn from a player of such quality is priceless,” he said.
“I’ve always enjoyed watching Modric play, but when I was with him and shared the dressing room with him, he impressed me even more. He’s incredible. He’s 40 years old and playing at the highest level. It’s truly incredible that everything he does, he does to perfection.”
He then recalls one of the most significant moments they experienced on the pitch together, talking about the return leg against Chelsea in the Champions League, the match in which Modric served Rodrygo an extraordinary assist to help turn the game on its head.
“We were losing 0-3, and they were much stronger than us. Honestly, I thought it was impossible to eliminate them. Ancelotti called me in the second half and told me to find a miracle. And then Modric gave me that miraculous pass. I don’t know how, but I scored. What a night…”
Finally, the Brazilian praised his winning mentality and that of a true champion: “Luka’s mentality is out of the ordinary, it’s something crazy, I’ve seen it up close.”
English (US) ·