He'd played for Real Madrid 19 times. It was enough for 33% of the readership of Spanish newspaper Marca to vote him the worst signing of the season at the end of 2012.
547 games, 250 La Liga wins, 27 trophies, 6 Champions League titles, 1 Ballon D'Or and 11 years, 10 months, 20 days later, Luka Modric walked onto the Balaidos pitch in Vigo, to break another Real Madrid record.
Aged 39 years and 40 days, he eclipsed the great Ferenc Puskas as the oldest player to ever make an appearance for Real Madrid, coming on in the 63rd minute with the game at 1-1. Three minutes later, he proved why he's among Real Madrid's best ever -- even with creaking old legs. An assist to Vinicius, Real Madrid 2-1, a win before El Clasico next week. All because of that small Croatian wizard in the middle of the park.
Celta hadn't made this easy for Madrid -- they started the game spurning some great chances, before Kylian Mbappe scored a screamer from range to give Carlo Ancelotti's side the lead. The hosts did earn a deserved equalizer in the second half, with Williot Swedberg making things level.
Madrid weren't fluent at all, and there's only so many times that individual brilliance -- even that of Real Madrid -- can bail you out. Celta looked the likelier winners, and something needed to change for the men in white. On walked Madrid royalty.
Puskas, also Madrid royalty, set that record aged 39 years and 36 days, when he played his final game for the club in 1966. That record stood for 58 years and 5 months, and for a reason. Real Madrid aren't a sentimental club -- there's no room for an aged star unable to contribute. Florentino Perez has been similarly ruthless with Modric -- there's no offer for a contract extension yet -- and the Croatian is set to depart at the end of this season.
If that does transpire though, he's going out in a blaze of glory.
Madrid were instantly improved when Modric came on, and he produced the decisive moment in the 66th minute. There were seven blue Celta shirts ahead of Modric when he had the ball in the middle of the park. The shape was a bit stretched, but there were enough bodies to thwart most players. Most players, however, Modric is not.
Even Vinicius was plenty aware of who had the ball. He'd not bothered with an outside-to-in run behind the defence all game -- the Brazilian knowing there was little point with Madrid's midfield tuned to other strengths. With Modric, however, things were different.
A freeze-frame of the moments leading up to Modric's assist is very telling -- Vinicius is already in his stride, making a run. The right centre-back marking him is also aware, panicked into backing off a few yards behind the offside trap. The decoy however, is in Modric (and Vinicius') brain. The ball isn't about to be zipped into Vinicius' feet, as the defender anticipates.
The Croatian knows the space is elsewhere, between the central centre-back and the left centre-back, and so does his Brazilian teammate. One swipe of his boot, caressing the ball with the exact amount of power needed and it trickles off in the right direction. Vinicius arrives, behind the defenders, having beaten the offside trap, and Modric's pass is there to greet his diagonal run, having evaded the despairing outstretched boot of Carl Starfelt in the Celta defence.
A touch to control the ball, another to steady himself and open the angle past the onrushing Vicente Guaita in the Celta goal, and Vinicius had his opening. He tapped it under the keeper and the ball was in the net -- Modric's masterpiece on the pitch completed with the Brazilian's brush stroke.
Vinicius knew exactly whom to thank in the celebration that followed -- Modric came over to hug him and he exclaimed 'That's it! What a pass!'. This piece of art was a well-rehearsed piece as Modric later revealed to the media after the game: "You have to run into space always -- I keep telling Vini. He's fast and if he beats his marker, it's easier to find him."
An assist only Modric could make, an assist worthy of a contract extension. Real Madrid don't even have to be sentimental here -- the Croatian is still the club's most creative midfielder, and with passes like that, it's no wonder that the club's supporters want him to stay.
Even those 33% of Marca readers who wanted him to go 11 years ago. And for that, Luka Modric takes our Moment of the Week.