The Croatian, now at AC Milan, told the Madrid daily that the England international is the Real Madrid player he feels closest to, describing him as “phenomenal” and identifying him as a future leader at the Bernabéu.
“From the first day I saw something different in him, first as a player, because of his talent, but also because of his personality,” Modric said.
“He can be a leader. The people at the Bernabéu appreciate that he gives his all on the pitch, he leaves everything on the field.”
The 40-year-old, who signed a one-year extension with Milan in July that keeps him at the San Siro through 2027, spoke to AS about a squad he now watches from afar. He drew a line between the Real Madrid stars he admires and the one he sees as his own successor.
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“They’re phenomenal,” Modric said of the squad.
“But the one I feel closest to is Jude, because he’s a midfielder like me.”
Six European Cups behind the praise
Modric’s word carries a particular kind of weight in Madrid. Before leaving on a free transfer to Milan in the summer of 2025, he lifted six Champions League titles and four LaLiga crowns among the 28 trophies he collected at the club, more than any player in Real Madrid’s history. His 2018 Ballon d’Or came in the same year Croatia reached the World Cup final.
For most of that Bernabéu era he was the pass-master at the base of the midfield.
Bellingham’s flying start
The endorsement lands in a week when Bellingham is delivering exactly the football Modric praised. Through Real Madrid’s opening three LaLiga matches he has two goals and two assists, tied for the most direct goal involvements in the division.
The most recent came in a 4-0 win over Málaga on 30 August, when he dribbled past three defenders to open the scoring in the 19th minute. It made him the first Real Madrid player to contribute to at least four goals in his opening three league matches of a season since his own arrival at the club in 2023.
Seven goals at the World Cup
Modric also nodded to the summer that shaped Bellingham’s stock. At the 2026 World Cup in North America, Bellingham scored seven goals across the tournament as England finished third, the most any Three Lions player has ever managed at a major tournament and one more than the previous record shared by Harry Kane and Gary Lineker.
“What he did at the World Cup and how he’s started this year is incredible,” Modric said. “I hope he carries on like this.”
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