The Croatian, decisive against Bologna, has already won over San Siro. Since his arrival, he has left nothing to chance: from his diet to keeping fit, to studying his Serie A opponents.

With an impact reminiscent of Zlatan Ibrahimovic when he returned to the Rossoneri in January 2020, Luka Modric has taken Milan by storm. After three league games, the Diavolo is already at the feet of the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner. Those who thought he was finished because he had said enough with Real Madrid already have to think again. Behind his Superman performance are hard work and attention to detail, including nutrition and rest. Nothing comes by chance: Luka knows this well and is passing this message on to his teammates, who are inevitably infected by his obsession with his profession and the Rossoneri jersey. Sporting director Tare and CEO Furlani had a great idea in signing him on a free transfer, and now Milan fans can enjoy him. As they did in the past with Ronaldinho (also a Ballon d’Or winner) and Beckham, other big signings made by Berlusconi and Galliani.

The basis of Modric’s longevity lies in his exceptional physique, not so much in terms of mass, but in terms of explosiveness and elasticity. In particular, his strength lies in his legs, which are well above average not only for 40-year-olds, but also for the rest of the players in Serie A. Nature has played its part, but the rest has been down to the Croatian champion, who is not only gifted with immense skill at his feet, but also with a work ethic that sets the greats apart. In 2015, on the threshold of his 30s, Luka realized that he would have to do something to push the end of his (fantastic) career as far back as possible. So he turned to Vlatko Vucetic, associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Zagreb. Vucetic is a veritable institution in Croatia in the study of the relationship between the body and sport, so much so that Zvone Boban has now hired him at Dinamo to help with the athletic development of the “talented youngsters” in the youth academy. Vucetic prepared a daily exercise program, to be adjusted according to the data collected daily during normal training sessions with the club. In practice, Modric began a half-hour routine before and after training with the team. This habit allowed him to perfect details such as posture, physical fitness, and injury prevention season after season. Even so, Luka has reached the age of 40 without suffering excessively from the passage of time. “Age is just a number,” he wrote a few days ago on X. On Sunday, he confirmed this on the field.

Diet and study—  One aspect that Modric takes great care of is his diet. No special menus, but careful attention to the recommendations of the Rossoneri nutritionist and his own tastes. For example, lots of fish, the Croatian’s favorite dish. And, on match days, a good dose of carbohydrates, usually in the form of pasta. He also pays close attention to rest: he knows the importance of sleep and tries to rest his body as much as possible. Especially after traveling with the national team, he wants to avoid fatigue and lactic acid playing tricks on him, but he also undergoes cryotherapy after games. It’s not just his muscles, though. Luka also uses his head to stay on top of his game. How? By studying his opponents in detail. Taking advantage of the break – even though he was busy with the national team – Modric watched all the matches of the first two days of Serie A. On Saturday, while in training camp, he watched a football marathon, first Juventus-Inter (after the end of training) and then Fiorentina-Napoli. It’s partly work, partly passion. Luka lives for football in the true sense of the word. This is one of the reasons why he chose Milan, his favorite team since childhood. He had several offers, including very lucrative ones from Saudi Arabia. But the Croatian’s mentality is simple: as long as he feels competitive in Europe, he wants to play to win trophies rather than to fill his wallet, which is already bulging from years of top salaries at Real Madrid. He has signed with the Rossoneri until 2026, with an option to extend until 2027. After the World Cup, he will make a decision: fans hope he will stay, as he has also fallen in love with the charm of the city (he lives in the center), although the lure of ending his career in his homeland is very strong.