The burned-out shell of a remote cottage is a testament to the trauma that Luka Modric endured, long before he became a Croatian national hero and Real Madrid sensation.

Trees now grow inside the roofless ruin where Modric spent part of his childhood, hidden in the folds of Velebit mountain with the nearest neighbours several kilometres away. A sign cautions of “Mines – Keep out!”

The home, situated on a mountain road that traversed the Modrici hamlet, was the residence of the player’s grandfather, Luka.

Modric, who was born in 1985, resided in the village of Zaton Obrovacki and the surrounding area during his childhood until the Croatian independence conflict of the 1990s.

The family fled to the coastal town of Zadar, which is approximately 40 kilometres (19 miles) away, after his grandfather was murdered by Serb forces and the house was set on fire.

“I heard about a young boy who was constantly playing with a football in the corridor of a refugee hotel, even going to sleep with it,” stated Josip Bajlo, who was the first-team coach at the First Division club NK Zadar at the time. This is where Modric began to establish himself as a brilliant player.

Upon witnessing Modric’s performance, Bajlo enrolled him in the club’s football academy, where he promptly distinguished himself.

“He was a leader, a favourite, and an idol to his generation.” Bajlo stated to ‘AFP’ that children had already observed in him what we are now observing in terms of football.

According to those who knew Modric, the 1991-1995 conflict with Serb rebels, which resulted in the heavy shelling of Zadar and the adjacent region, instilled in him a fortitude.

“We were running to shelters as the shells were falling a million times when we were going to training,” remarked Marijan Buljat, a childhood friend who trained and played with Modric during his childhood.

The 36-year-old, who was previously a professional athlete, has maintained a close relationship with Modric throughout the years and is of the opinion that the Croatia captain’s mental fortitude and character were influenced by his challenging upbringing.

“It is certainly one of the factors that contributed… that drove him to become one of the best in the world.”

Modric received his third selection to the FIFA FIFPro team, which was determined by thousands of professional players, in October of last year. He was the first Croatian to be elected to the FIFPro XI in 2015.

NK Zadar, his former club, has a history of identifying talent, but Modric is regarded as a legend among supporters despite the fact that the club is currently struggling in Croatia’s third division.

Slavko Strkalj, a retired metal worker, described Luka as a football God in Zadar.

In 2000, Modric departed for Dinamo Zagreb and subsequently joined Tottenham Hotspur, an English Premier League club, in 2008.

In 2012, Real Madrid acquired him following a bidding competition.

However, his testimony during the multi-million-euro corruption trial of former Dinamo Zagreb chief Zdravko Mamic last year tarnished his popularity in Croatia and his reputation as a modest family man.

Modric’s testimony bolstered Mamic’s defence against allegations of corruption, which incensed numerous supporters who perceived the trial as an opportunity to purify the corruption-ridden sport.

In March, prosecutors ultimately charged Modric with providing false evidence, a crime that entails a potential sentence of five years in prison. However, the indictment has not yet been approved by a court, and the player is not presently in danger of arrest.

It appeared that the anger among fans regarding the issue eased rapidly following Modric’s exceptional performance in the World Cup qualification. 

However, there are some supporters and coach Zlatko Dalic who are concerned that the matter could negatively impact his performance in Russia.

Modric directly addressed those concerns by stating to Croatia’s ‘Jutarnjilist’ newspaper that his “conscience is clear” and that “things happening aside don’t influence my game.”