The reasons why Tottenham Hotspur FC were in such a hurry to spend €21m on Croatia midfielder Luka Modrić will become clear at UEFA EURO 2008™. That is the message from Modrić's national-team coach Slaven Bilić who has no doubts about the quality of the 22-year-old from NK Dinamo Zagreb.
'The world will see'
Already a captain of his club side, Modrić transferred his leadership qualities to the international stage under Bilić during Croatia's successful UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifying campaign. Bilić, acquainted with his chargfe's prodigious talent from their days with the Under-21 team, is now convinced that his man is "one of the best European players". He said: "Modrić is a top-class player. I have known him since I was coaching him in the U21s and, although he is still very young, I consider him one of the best. You will see it at the EURO, when the world will see his talent."
Blossoming talent
Tottenham needed no such persuasion to sign the playmaker from the Croatian champions last week. Perhaps they had seen Modrić blossom as an international footballer during his 12 appearances in qualification for Austria/Switzerland. Although armed with a total of 24 caps, and the experience of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, he only fully established himself once Bilić had replaced Zlatko Kranjčar at the helm after those finals. The former Croatia defender has used Modrić as a defensive midfielder with licence to get forward, yet he is just as adept operating further upfield. This season he has scored 13 goals in 22 games for an unstoppable Dinamo Zagreb side.
Next generation
It is Croatia and Bilić's good fortune that the country may finally have found worthy successors to midfield maestros Zvonimir Boban, Aljoša Asanović and Robert Prosinečki – in both Modrić and Niko Kranjčar. The latter is well known to English audiences for his performances with FA Cup finalists Portsmouth FC. Eduardo da Silva and Vedran Ćorluka, from Arsenal FC and Manchester City FC, have also given Croatian football a good name in the Premier League this term.
Cruyff comparison
Modrić and company also helped to eliminate England from the EURO, so Tottenham Hotspur fans will not be completely incredulous of the comparisons their recruit has earned with both Lionel Messi and Johan Cruyff. Increasingly, he has been likened to Cruyff, whom he resembles both in frame – being of slim build – and in speed, agility and creativity, as master of the pinpoint pass. And if Modrić could become NK Zrinjski's star player in the Bosnia-Herzegovnian top flight as an 18-year-old loanee in 2003/04, Bilić will be expecting a similar impact from his protégé in north London and beyond.
