Real Madrid Legend Luka Modric Names World’s Toughest Manager Who ‘Made Cristiano Ronaldo Cry’

Former Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric has named his pick for the “toughest manager in the world” who “made Cristiano Ronaldo cry.” From the outside looking in, such a feat would seem almost impossible for a player obsessed with winning, whose mentality has long been viewed as indomitable and who some even credited with managing Portugal from the sidelines during their famous Euro 2016 triumph.

Together, Modric and Ronaldo boast 34 and 36 trophies respectively across their illustrious careers, sharing a dressing room and starting eleven during four Champions League triumphs. As for Modric, he remains the only player to win the Ballon d’Or other than Ronaldo and Lionel Messi during a 13-year stretch between 2007 and 2021.

But it wasn’t just their superstar ability that carried them to such heights, and plenty of credit must be given to the managers who shaped them along the way. Still going strong at 40 with AC Milan, Modric has recalled one such figure – a manager who struggled at the Bernabeu, but nonetheless left a lasting impression through his uncompromising, stern approach.