Ema Modrić Arrives at Real Madrid Academy, Continuing Her Father's Football Legacy
Ema Modrić has moved from Milan to the Real Madrid Academy, the club where her father Luka made history with 26 trophies.
Ema Modrić has moved from Milan to the Real Madrid Academy, the club where her father Luka made history with 26 trophies.
The family football story is entering a new chapter in Madrid. The daughter of Croatian footballer Luka Modrić, Ema, has become the newest player at Real Madrid's Academy, as reported by the portal 24sata Sport on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. The news is particularly emotional for Croatian fans, as the Modrić name returns to the club where her father left an indelible mark.
Luka Modrić currently plays for AC Milan, with whom he has signed a one-year contract extension, and he will spend the entire season in Serie A. During the World Cup, many speculated about his return to Madrid, but not as a player. Now it's clear why that option was in the air.
Ema Modrić comes straight from Milan, where she has been playing until now. Earlier in Spain, she played for Madrid CFF and Madrid CFF 2010, scoring a total of 23 goals for those two clubs. Now she has arrived at the academy of the club where her father became the most decorated player in Real Madrid's history.
Luka Modrić won a total of 26 trophies with Real Madrid, a record that has etched his name among the immortals of the Madrid giants. The news of Ema's arrival was also shared by the popular football profile 433 on Twitter, with the message: "The Modrić name is back at Real Madrid."
Ema Modrić's arrival at Real Madrid's Academy is a continuation of a family football legacy that began with Luka, one of the best midfielders of his generation. For the Croatian public, this is a particularly emotional piece of news, as it connects two generations at a club deeply ingrained in the history of Croatian football.
Ema, who is 13 years old, has joined Real's cadete team, with whom she has already begun preparations for the new season. In April, she won the Garino Cup in Turin with Milan's U-13 team; on the way to the trophy, Milan eliminated Sassuolo and Inter, and in the final they defeated Juventus. Ema also scored goals along the way, including one in the quarterfinal against Sassuolo. As early as September 2024, Spanish media wrote about her as a player Real should keep an eye on, but at that time a move wasn't possible because the club didn't have a women's team for her age group. Now she will play for Real's cadete squad led by Héctor Bueno, and the Primera División Autonómica Cadete Comunidad de Madrid season begins on the last weekend of September. Thus, just one year after Luka's departure, the Modrić name reappears at Real Madrid, the club where Luka played for 13 years and won the Ballon d'Or in 2018.
