He’s done it again – Luka Modrić, the little magician from Zadar, has officially cemented his place in footballing royalty. The Croatian captain and Real Madrid legend has been named one of the 35 greatest footballers of all time by English sports site GiveMeSport.

In an ambitious ranking that tackled one of football’s toughest debates – who really is the greatest of all time? – Modrić found himself rubbing shoulders with the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, Maradona and Pele. Ranked 24th overall, Modrić is the only Croatian to make the elite list, and his inclusion is being hailed as further proof of his legendary status.

Modrić, who lifted the Ballon d’Or in 2018 and helped Croatia to a historic World Cup final, continues to pull strings both for club and country. Despite being in the twilight of his career, the midfield maestro is still very much a heartbeat of Real Madrid and the Croatian national team.

The GiveMeSport panel based their ranking on several key factors: impact on the team (goals, assists, clean sheets), club and international trophies, and personal accolades – including, of course, that all-important Ballon d’Or. And by those standards, Modrić more than earned his spot.

While Lionel Messi took the No.1 position ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, Modrić’s presence among football titans such as Zidane, Ronaldinho, Xavi, and Beckenbauer speaks volumes. The Croatian midfield general was described as “indestructible” by the press after once again writing history for Real Madrid.