Luka Modrić's ruined childhood home evokes painful memories

The ancestral home of football superstar Luka Modrić in Zaton Obrovački, Croatia, stands as a desolate ruin, a poignant symbol of the destruction wrought by the 1991 war. The house, once belonging to Modrić's grandfather Luka, who was tragically murdered by Serbian paramilitaries that year, is now state property and a stark contrast to the footballer's global fame.

Recent visitors, including three Chinese tourists, traveled to the remote village with expectations of a museum or a place to connect with Modrić's past. Instead, they were met with a crumbling structure. Teo Kanjer, owner of the tour agency "Dalma Travel," recounted his embarrassment at having nothing more to show than rubble, fearing for the tourists' safety due to potential landmines in the area.

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I was ashamed because I have nothing to show them. It's enough to tell you that they thought a fire extinguisher shop was Lukin fan shop, because that's the least you expect in the place where one of the greatest footballers of today grew up.

Despite the devastation, the tourists photographed the remnants, their curiosity undeterred. Kanjer noted their recognition of other local landmarks, like the former Hotel 'Iž,' where Modrić spent formative years, and even mistaking a fire extinguisher shop for a Modrić fan store. The visit also included a stop at the dilapidated stadium of NK Zadar, where Modrić began his football journey, further highlighting the stark reality of the region's decline.

The experience left Kanjer feeling ashamed, unable to offer a more fitting tribute to one of the world's greatest footballers. The ruined house and the surrounding neglect serve as a somber testament to the enduring scars of war on the Croatian landscape and its communities.

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Hey, this is hotel ‘Iž‘. Imagine that, they know about the former hotel 'Iž' where Luka spent his childhood days in Zadar.