Real Madrid and Croatia midfield maestro Luka Modric has turned 33-years-old today. The little magician from the Santiago Bernabeu recently bagged the UEFA player of the year award beating Juventus forward and ex-teammate Cristiano Ronaldo and Liverpool’s Muhammad Salah. Starting his career at Dinamo Zagreb, Modric came into spotlight after he moved to the English Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur, and then was signed by Real Madrid, where he peaked. The midfield maestro has been nothing short of brilliant at the Bernabeu. Prior to signing him, Real Madrid had everything but a play-maker who they could rely on to perform at the biggest stage. With Modric, Madrid have never looked back as they won three-consecutive UEFA Champions League titles. Also read: Why Argentina’s decision to not let anyone wear Messi’s number 10 is a good idea His performances have been so impressive that even in a squad overshadowed by Cristiano Ronaldo’s genius, Modric would still get praise for pulling the strings for his team. Many believe him, and not Ronaldo, to be the main man behind Real Madrid’s success over the past few years. Moreover, his performances in the World Cup 2018 are proof that Modric is not just another footballer, but a deserving inductee in the hall of fame of midfield legends. In a league which has seen minds like Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, Zinedine Zidane etc Modric is a breath of unique air. Modric has proved time and again that he has established himself as one of football’s finest and there’s nothing more or less he needs to do to solidify his legacy.