World Cup semi-finalist Luka Modric was once named worst signing of the season

Luka Modric may be one of the greatest midfielders in his generation, but nine years ago his move to Real Madrid earned him the title of worst La Liga signing.

Modric was the man who ended the Ballon d'Or duopoly between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, after the two men had swapped it between them for a decade.

That came in 2018 when the midfielder helped Real Madrid, along with then teammate Ronaldo, to a third Champions League title in-a-row, the first to do it in the modern era.

He was also integral to Croatia making it to their first World Cup final, in just six attempts, having made their debut in 1998, going on to lose to France.

Arguably, Modric has only got even better since winning the Ballon d'Or and once again was extremely important to Real winning the Champions League last summer.

This season he has continued to impress fans and teammates alike, earning standing ovations from opposing supporters and silencing colleagues in training.

Now he's helped the national team reach yet another World Cup semi-final, reaching the final four for the second time in-a-row.

However, back when he moved to Real in 2012, things didn't start all too well at all, with his £30 million move first being considered a complete bust.

Modric celebrates winning the quarter-final against Brazil with his family. Image: Alamy

Modric moved from Dinamo Zagreb to Spurs in the summer of 2008 for £16.5 million, then a joint record fee for Spurs, and after early struggles with form and fitness, leading people to say he was too lightweight for the Premier League, he soon become one of the leading lights of the English top tier.

After four years in England, Chelsea came calling for £40 million, but Tottenham were definitive in not wanting to sell him to their London rivals.

Eventually he got his move to Spain for £10 million less, but things in Spain started worse for him than they had after his previous move.

By the winter break at the end of December he'd made just 19 appearances, playing on average 38 minutes a game and scoring just the one goal.

That led to him being voted as the worst signing of the season:

The SPORT report on Modric's poor start to life in Madrid. Image: SPORT

Modric 'won' 32.2% of the vote, putting him just ahead of Barcelona's Alexander Song, who had moved from Arsenal in the same summer.

The Croatian spoke to Sportske, a newspaper in his home country, at the time saying, "This is Real Madrid. I understand there is great pressure for new signings to succeed here.

"I'm not making excuses, I am not that kind of person, but it is very challenging to adapt to life at a big club like Madrid.

"I have had a few good performances, if not in every game, but I believe that I can prove I have something to offer."

It's fair to say he kept to his word when proving that he had something to offer his team, and has ended up as one of the most successful players in the world.

He could even add a World Cup title to his five Champions Leagues and three La Liga titles, he'd be as deserving as anyone.

Not exactly the €40 million flop he was claimed to be...