Luka Modric

“It happens in football. You have bad days.”

“Madrid is a big and beautiful city with great parks where I like to walk. There are a lot of squares and museums, historic monuments. But I'm more a home guy; I feel most comfortable there with my wife and kids. We play, watch cartoons, like all families do.”

“I never considered leaving Real Madrid or that it was a mistake to come here.”

“I don't like to compare players, particularly to myself.”

“My challenge is to win titles and trophies with Real Madrid.”

“The war made me stronger; it was a very hard time for me and my family. I don't want to drag that with me forever, but I don't want to forget about it, either.”

“Tottenham was my first international club. I spent four glorious years there, and the fans were brilliant with me. I only have good memories.”

“We are Madrid, and we want to define our own philosophy. We don't want to be compared to anyone.”

“I have to keep working hard and improving every day.”

“It was my dream come true when I signed for Real Madrid. I want to stay here for as many years as possible and, if it's possible, finish my career here.”

“Fear doesn't exist in football, especially for Real Madrid.”

“For what Ronaldo's achieved, he's amazing; he's a great team-mate.”

“I want to be able to help the coach and team as much as I can.”

“I would say the best Croatian player in 2014 was Ivan Rakitic, leading Sevilla to Europa League glory and earning a big transfer to Barcelona.”

“My emotions, when I think about the time I spent at Spurs, are always really positive.”

“When the war started, we became refugees, and it was a really tough time. I was six years old. These were really hard times. I remember them vividly, but it's not something you want to remember or think about.”

“Nobody is accustomed to play in front of an empty stadium.”