Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric shared one of the most glorious periods in the history of Real Madrid, which is no small feat. However, before the success came, they experienced some disappointing years, including when Jose Mourinho was the head coach.
“It was him who wanted me at Real Madrid. Without Mourinho, I would never have arrived… I regret having him for only one season,” Modric admitted during a recent interview with Corriere della Sera. This happened in 2012, when the midfielder was standing out at Tottenham Hotspur and the coach was entering his third — and final — year with the Spanish giants.
Immediately, Modric reflected on that experience and described the coach’s personality and work ethic. “Mourinho is very direct with the players, but he is honest… he is special, as a coach and as a person,” he reflected. “He treated Sergio Ramos and a newcomer the same way: if he had to tell you something, he told you.”
Speaking of this, Modric recalled an unusual moment he witnessed at Real Madrid with Mourinho. “I saw him make Cristiano Ronaldo cry in the locker room, a man who gives everything on the field, because for once he didn’t chase the opposing full-back,” Luka revealed.
Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo.
That story, small as it may seem, demonstrates the enormous authority Mourinho had at that time, which allowed him to be tough even with Real Madrid’s most important players, especially Ronaldo, who had already won a Ballon d’Or by then.
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Modric picks the best coach of his career, and it’s not Mourinho
Beyond the praise for Jose Mourinho, Luka Modric chose another name when asked about the best coach of his career during the same interview with Corriere della Sera. “He is number one,” said the Croatian midfielder about Carlo Ancelotti.
“It’s hard to find the words. Because of who he is, not just his qualities on the bench,” Modric explained, who worked with Ancelotti in two periods at Real Madrid, between 2013 and 2015, and then between 2021 and 2025. “I remember when I first met him. I was alone in the city. He called me and said, ‘Come, come have dinner with me.’ We talked for hours, about everything. Soccer, family, life. Normally, coaches don’t trust their players. He did.”
That close personal relationship also translated into results on the field. With Ancelotti as coach, Luka Modric won 15 titles at Real Madrid, including three UEFA Champions League trophies and two La Liga honors.
