Liverpool manager names Real Madrid veteran in his dream UCL XI: “What makes him special is..” | OneFootball

Not many saw Luka Modric’s stocks surge this season. After all, his prominence on the field was on a steady decline in recent years and it appeared that the Croatian was being phased out.

Toni Kroos’ departure, however, created a void that only Modric could fill and the player has thus played a critical role in Los Blancos’ games once again this season.

Moreover, his quality on the field simply cannot be replicated and his ability to stay calm and deliver under pressure is as good as it was a decade ago.

Liverpool manager praises Modric

Speaking to the media in a recent interaction, Liverpool manager Arne Slot was asked to pick his dream UEFA Champions League XI. One of the names picked in his dream team was Modric, and he justified his selection by responding to Give Me Sport,

“He is hardly ever injured. His lifestyle must be very good. But what makes him special is that he’s won it six times, and is for such a long, long, long time right up there.”

Arne Slot has picked Luka Modric in is dream UCL XI. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

While the manager’s choice is not surprising in the least, his words only reaffirm how the Croatian superstar is a bonafide legend of the game with numbers that may never be recreated.

Modric is still going strong

What is further astounding is the fact that Modric is still doing it at the highest level at Real Madrid and is showing no signs of slowing down despite being 39 years of age.

As revealed earlier, the veteran midfielder is eyeing the 2026 Olympics and is ready to lead Croatia in the event at the age of 41. Further, he does not rule out staying at Real Madrid until that point.

Despite being 39 years of age, Modric’s impact on Real Madrid’s games has not waned and he averages 56 minutes in the team’s nine La Liga games so far. In that duration, he has racked up one goal, created five big chances and averaged 2.2 key passes per game.

Modric and Slot will face off in just over a month in the UEFA Champions League when Real Madrid travel to Anfield. Before that, however, they have Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona and AC Milan to conquer across competitions.