Luka Modric is the Real Madrid player who gets 10 out of 10. He is the teacher's pet, the employee of the month, the workmate who is always there for you, and the footballer that every manager wants to have in his squad.

There are lots of reasons why he should take over the Real Madrid number 10 shirt next season. It is out of use at the moment on account of the surprising departure of Mesut Özil just before the season started. But Modric has been number 10 at Dynamo Zagreb, and he is number 10 in the Croatia national side, and so, just as CR7 stands for Ronaldo and his number 7 shirt, it is the moment for LM10 for Modric and the number 10 shirt.

No one now can imagine the Madrid team without this little Croatian player, with his strong legs and his characteristic long hair. He said last summer that he is at his most comfortable when controlling the side. And Ancelotti has let him do it. Real Madrid plays the way Modric wants. The short ball or the long, fast or slow, counter-attacking or building a move; he can adapt to them all.

Not one single press conference takes place without Ancelotti saying the word 'balance'. And there is no player better than Modric to interpret just what that means. His constant coming and going; being available in attack and automatically returning to help in any recovery, and although all this requires a lot of physical effort, Modric, at the age of 29, still has the mileage.

He might not get absolutely everything right, but Modric's commitment is not in doubt. Whether things are going well or badly, he is always there.

Luka Modric is the Real Madrid player who gets 10 out of 10. He is the teacher's pet, the employee of the month, the workmate who is always there for you, and the footballer that every manager wants to have in his squad.

There are lots of reasons why he should take over the Real Madrid number 10 shirt next season. It is out of use at the moment on account of the surprising departure of Mesut Özil just before the season started. But Modric has been number 10 at Dynamo Zagreb, and he is number 10 in the Croatia national side, and so, just as CR7 stands for Ronaldo and his number 7 shirt, it is the moment for LM10 for Modric and the number 10 shirt.

No one now can imagine the Madrid team without this little Croatian player, with his strong legs and his characteristic long hair. He said last summer that he is at his most comfortable when controlling the side. And Ancelotti has let him do it. Real Madrid plays the way Modric wants. The short ball or the long, fast or slow, counter-attacking or building a move; he can adapt to them all.

Not one single press conference takes place without Ancelotti saying the word 'balance'. And there is no player better than Modric to interpret just what that means. His constant coming and going; being available in attack and automatically returning to help in any recovery, and although all this requires a lot of physical effort, Modric, at the age of 29, still has the mileage.

He might not get absolutely everything right, but Modric's commitment is not in doubt. Whether things are going well or badly, he is always there.