From 27 to 39 years old, Magic Flute: When I first joined Real Madrid, I thought it would be great if I could stay for five or six years.

November 25th: When Modric was interviewed by a Croatian TV program as a guest recently, he talked about leaving Real Madrid and choosing Milan.

Are you learning Italian?

I adapted very well, Milan is very beautiful, people are very friendly to me, my teammates, coaches and fans are all great. It can be seen that Milan is a great and historic club, one of the biggest clubs in the world. I'm happy here and I understand Italian very well, it's somewhat similar to Spanish but not exactly the same. It's a headache for me to mix up Italian and Spanish, but people still understand me.

On leaving Real Madrid after 13 years

It was not easy. I feel like I spent half my life there and it was one of the best times of my life. Even though I only joined Real Madrid when I was 27, I was already ready for this step. My four years in England helped me a lot and looking back now it feels unreal that I still haven’t achieved all that I have achieved. If someone had told me: "Write down what you want to achieve at Real Madrid", I'm afraid I would have written down everything I achieved. Trophies and wins are important, but to spend 13 years at a club like this... from 27 to almost 40 is unbelievable. Everyone knows what kind of club Real Madrid is. It does not tolerate mediocrity. It is the most incredible thing to stay in such a club for so long. When I first joined the team, I thought it would be great to be there for five or six years. I thought my career would end at 33 or 34 years old, but not only did I exceed that expectation, but I'm still playing at a very high level.

Have you ever planned to stay at Real Madrid?

This is indeed my biggest wish. This is not empty talk, nor is it to please the fans. But sometimes some wishes don't come true. Although I didn't retire at Real Madrid as I wanted, I have achieved many things that I never thought I could achieve. I have no regrets about it. These achievements are even beyond my wildest dreams. I am a very emotional person. Although I don't often show it, I will keep this emotion deep in my heart. I will always remember the love I received from the fans, the club and everyone associated with the club and I just can’t find the words to express my gratitude, right from day one. Although I encountered some difficulties at the beginning, I felt the love and loyalty of the fans and they felt my sincerity, which gave me motivation and inspired me to repay them in the best way possible.

Talk about choosing Milan

I have always said that after Real Madrid, any club is a second-tier choice. This is recognized by everyone. But I am now at a club that is very close to Real Madrid in terms of prestige and history, and for me it is a very ideal place, especially since I have loved Italian football since I was a child and Milan is my favorite club. I not only like Milan, but also because Croatian star Boban also achieved a brilliant career there and he had a great impact on the fans of our country. So when the offer from Milan came, I knew it was destined to continue playing at a high level. Serie A is one of the most competitive leagues in Europe, with fierce competition and difficult games. For me, choosing Milan was an easy decision, especially given the attitude of the people there and the club where I felt very comfortable.

Milan are always hungry for charismatic players...

I agree, I always think that if I were not at Real Madrid, Milan would be the first club that comes to my mind.

Is Totti one of your idols?

I admire his charisma, personality and playing style, so he has always been one of my favorite players. There are also Zidane, "alien" Ronaldo, and stars from Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Compare Serie A, Premier League and La Liga

The league here pays more attention to technology and tactics, especially tactics. The competition is very tough and it takes a huge effort to get a chance against any team. Spain pays more attention to technology, while England plays a "run and gun" style, with fierce physical confrontation and fast pace. In Spain, there are a lot of quick transitions, especially at Real Madrid, who seek to play exciting games and are not content with playing small games.