Luka Modric is one of the best central midfielders in the world. He’s won everything in club football at Real Madrid and is an iconic figure for Croatian football.

However, the diminutive playmaker’s path to football stardom has been long. And as is the case with most heroes, his origin story stems from adversity.

Forced to flee his home at the age of six, Modric honed his skills in a parking lot of a hotel where he lived with his family as refugees.

His rise to the top has been an inspiration and the video above charts his journey.