Luka Modrić is a brand new AC Milan participant. The Croatian champion has signed with the Rossoneri after the top of his unbelievable spell at Actual Madrid, a membership with which he gained (a number of occasions) all the pieces attainable, together with a Ballon d’Or.
His arrival in Milan has divided Diavolo followers, with some grateful to have the ability to admire a participant of Modrić’s class, and others who consider that at nearly 40 years outdated, this was a transfer that might have been averted.
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Modrić lands in Italy just some weeks after De Bruyne, who at 34 selected Napoli. At this level, a spontaneous query arises: when was the final time a star participant—in his prime—selected Serie A?
🤔 From CR7 to Di Maria and Higuain, why not them?
You may solely begin with His Majesty Cristiano Ronaldo. Right here we all know that many followers of the Portuguese phenomenon can have one thing to say, as a result of in Turin we nonetheless noticed a dominant participant, able to scoring 101 objectives in 134 matches carrying the black and white shirt. However CR7’s peak was at Actual Madrid, no query.
📸 MARCO BERTORELLO
The identical goes for Angel Di Maria, whereas others like Tevez and Lukaku got here to our league to relaunch themselves after tough years.
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It’s a unique story for Higuain and de Ligt. Pipita was Napoli’s huge signing in 2013, however he was nonetheless Benzema’s backup at Actual. The Dutchman, however, selected Italy for his huge leap after Ajax, however at the moment he was extra of a prospect than a completed champion.
🔙 Again to 2008
To search out the final time a star participant selected Serie A on the peak of his profession, it’s a must to return to 2008, when Massimo Moratti satisfied Samuel Eto’o to affix the Nerazzurri. A sensational signing, which dropped at José Mourinho’s court docket the person who had determined that yr’s Champions League closing with a objective.
📸 Claudio Villa – 2011 Getty Photographs
The next season, Eto’o was echoed by Ibrahimović, who after simply twelve months at Barcelona determined to return to Italy, to Milan, the place he was instantly essential for the Diavolo’s 18th Scudetto win.
📸 OLIVIER MORIN – 2011 AFP
These have been completely different occasions, little doubt about it. In the present day, Serie A merely can not sustain with the giants of different European and Arab leagues. Simply consider Liverpool, which on this switch window has already spent 250 million on Wirtz, Kerkez, and Frimpong, and is able to shell out one other 150 for Isak. For Italian golf equipment, then, all that is still are the recollections of these years. Modrić and De Bruyne are greater than welcome—champions whose class is all the time an added worth, at any age. It simply makes you assume, although, that generally it will be good to return to when Serie A was everybody’s first alternative.
This text was translated into English by Synthetic Intelligence.
📸 Francois Nel – 2025 Getty Photographs