He may have been laughed at when he first tipped the Real Madrid star for the top, but he has been proven right in the end
Former Dinamo Zagreb coach Branko Ivankovic knew a long time ago Luka Modric would be among the world's best, recalling being laughed at when talking up the Croatia star.
Modric, 32, played under Ivankovic's guidance at Dinamo for just over a year before earning his move to Premier League club Tottenham.
Prior to a Champions League qualifier against Werder Bremen in 2007, Ivankovic told reporters that Modric – then 21 – was better than Diego, the former Brazil international whose career includes stints at Juventus and Atletico Madrid.