Football coaches said he was 'too weak and too shy' to play football when he was younger but as we all know, his career fledged into something rather special.
Luka Modric's journey to the World Cup final is by far one of the most inspirational stories you'll ever read and to put the icing on top of the cake, he beat the likes of Eden Hazard and Antoine Griezmann to the Golden Boot trophy on Sunday afternoon.
Croatia may have been defeated in the final but the Real Madrid midfielder can hold his head high.
Advert
He's not only played more minutes than anyone else but he ran over 40 miles during this tournament. We saw it the other night against England, where Modric was still running the game late on and showing little signs of fatigue. He has a remarkable ability to go up another gear when others fall down a peg.
Let's go back and learn more about his journey to the final.
At the age of six, Luka Modric's life was rocked to the core. He was made a refugee after his grandfather was shot dead by ethnic Serb rebels close to his home. It was a moment that would live with him forever.
Advert
In the coming years, he would live in a warzone and grow up to the sound of grenades exploding as conflict went on. He soon fled Croatia after his house was burned down but despite the troubles in his life, football was an escape for Modric.
As mentioned earlier, football also had its obstacles. Coaches said he was 'too weak and too shy' to play. He proved those doubters wrong and has since played in the Premier League with Tottenham and enjoyed a hugely successful spell with Real Madrid, establishing himself as one of the best midfielders in world football.
On Wednesday 15 June, he might not have realised his true dream of lifting the World Cup, but he can always say that he's led a team to the final.
Advert
Not many can say that, Luka.
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Football News, World News, Football, Final, World Cup