He is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time, [ 6 ] and as the greatest Croatian footballer of all time. He made his debut for Dinamo in and his performances earned him a move to Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur in , where he led them to UEFA Champions League qualification in , their first in almost 50 years.
In his second season, he won the โ14 Champions League title, being selected for that season's squad of the season. In total, he has won a record 27 major trophies at Madrid, including six UEFA Champions League titles, four La Liga titles, and two Copa del Rey titles, making him the most decorated footballer in the club's history.
In , he was awarded the Golden Foot award for career results and personality. At Euro , he was selected for the Team of the Tournament. In March , he went on to become the country's most capped player in history. At the World Cup, he led the team to a third-place finish , winning the Bronze Ball in the process.
Furthermore, he has been named Croatian Footballer of the Year a record twelve times between and However, his childhood coincided with the Croatian War of Independence โin , when the war escalated, his family were forced to flee the area. He also won the Croatian Football Hope of the Year award in He was the first of many summer signings for manager Juande Ramos , and was also the Premier League 's first summer transfer.
Maybe I look lightweight but I am a really strong person mentally and physically, and I never had any problems with my size". He trains like a demon and never complains, will work with and without the ball on the field and can beat a defender with a trick or with a pass. He could get into any team in the top four".
