The Croatian maestro, in a major interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, revealed his motives for extending his loyalty to Milan, recalled his childhood, and explained why he avoids talking about a certain goal.
Luka Modrić (40) is back in action. After signing a new one-year contract with Milan, the Croatian captain joined his teammates for preseason preparations in Australia and immediately sat down for an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. In a candid conversation, he spoke about club legend Franco Baresi, his love for the "Rossoneri" that was born thanks to Zvonimir Boban, and about a new teammate who left him without a World Cup.
For Modrić, Franco Baresi embodied everything that Milan represents. "For me, Baresi was the essence of Milan. He was, if not the greatest, then one of the greatest symbols of this club, a very humble man, a leader who led by example," Modrić told the Italian newspaper. He emphasized that his passing is a huge loss for the club and all its fans.
Although he never had the chance to speak with him personally, Modrić revealed that he admired him from a young age, comparing Baresi's return after meniscus surgery in the World Cup final to his own experiences. "I found myself in a similar situation: when you play for your national team and you have to take a penalty, it's not easy," he added. That is precisely why Modrić sees special motivation in the upcoming season. "Yes, that could be a great motivation for us: to win the title and dedicate it to Franco. For his legacy. Achieving that would be something extraordinary, beautiful, a dream," he said.
Speaking about his early connection to the club, Modrić highlighted the key role of another Croatian legend. "Since childhood, I loved Milan and I followed them above all because of Zvonimir Boban, but also because of players like Franco and other great champions of the 'Rossoneri'," he recalled. That childhood love has not faded even after winning six Champions League titles and 34 trophies in his career. Now, on the brink of a new season in which Milan will play in the Europa League after missing out on the Champions League in the final round of Serie A, his dream remains unchanged: "When I first came here, I said I wanted to win with Milan, and that remains my dream: I would like to win trophies wearing the 'Rossoneri' jersey."
Although many speculated about the end of his career, Modrić explained that the decision to stay was thoughtful and driven by emotion, not disappointment. "I am very happy to be back because I enjoyed last year. Unfortunately, we didn't finish well and we didn't achieve the minimum goal, which was qualifying for the Champions League," he admitted, adding that he was particularly frustrated that he couldn't help in key matches due to injury.
The main reason for returning was not failure, but love. "No, I'm here above all because I had a great time. The club and the fans showed me so much affection, they were truly supportive in every way," he stressed. He also revealed that he could have signed the contract back in December, but he wanted to listen to his body: "I needed to understand how I was, whether I still had the same hunger, the same desire, and the same passion to continue playing." He also commented on new coach Amorim, with whom he spoke several times during the summer. "The feeling is good, very positive," he briefly commented.
One of the new players in the dressing room will be Gonçalo Ramos, whose name brings back bitter memories for Modrić. It was the Portuguese who, with his goal, knocked Croatia out of the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup in Toronto. Modrić described the experience as a "bad experience," and when asked if he had anything to say about that goal, he laughed and replied: "No, haha. I already told him in the USA. I don't want to mention it again because it's not a pleasant memory."
Despite that, Modrić has only words of praise for his new teammate. "I've followed him a lot; he's a great striker. Maybe he's exactly what we needed and what we were missing in the past," he concluded. He also commented on the arrivals of Gil and Diawara, emphasizing that they will bring additional quality and character to the team, and regarding Rafa Leão, he said he doesn't want to give him advice because he is mature enough to make his own decisions.
