Ema Modric, the eldest daughter of midfielder Luka Modric, started training with Real Madrid's Cadete Femenino youth team at Valdebebas on Tuesday.
The 2013-born player moved from AC Milan to join the Spanish club's youth academy, following in the footsteps of her father. She arrives at Real Madrid after completing a successful spell in Italian youth football.
Real Madrid's youth academy operates out of the Valdebebas training complex in northern Madrid, where the Cadete Femenino team competes in the Under-16 regional category. Luka Modric served as Real Madrid captain before moving to Italy with his family to play for Serie A side AC Milan.
Trophy success with AC Milan
In April, Modric won her first title with AC Milan by capturing the Copa Garino, an Under-13 tournament held in Turin. Milan secured the trophy by defeating Juventus in the final.
Milan's run to the title included a 3-1 victory over Sassuolo in the quarter-finals, where Modric scored, followed by a 2-0 win against rivals Inter in the semi-finals.
Italian sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Modric held a trophy larger than herself during the post-match celebration, noting her close physical resemblance to her father.
Luka Modric was unable to attend the tournament in Turin because of club commitments during a match against Napoli in Naples. He watched his daughter's victory over FaceTime while his wife, Vanja, and their other children, Ivano and Sofia, cheered from the stands.
Early steps in Madrid and FIFA documentary
Before her spell in Italy, Modric began her football development in the youth academy of Madrid CFF, one of the largest women's football training setups in Europe.
Following his victory in the 2023 Copa del Rey final with Real Madrid, Luka Modric expressed pride in his daughter, saying she would definitely be better than her father.
Her interest in the sport was also featured in a FIFA documentary filmed during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The documentary captured father and daughter discussing a Croatian national team qualifying match, with Ema asking her father about the importance of winning ahead of the tournament.
