Getty Luka Modric and Vanja Bosnic.
Luka Modric is a professional footballer and the captain of the Croatian national team. He will lead Croatia against one of their rivals, France, in a bid to win the 2018 World Cup. Modric has been named the Croatian Footballer of the Year six times, which ties him with Davor Suker for the most in club history.
Modric, 32, has been married to Vanja Bosnic since 2010. The couple currently reside in Croatia, along with their three children. Read below to learn more about Bosnic and her career alongside her husband.
1. She Originally Worked At Mamic Sports Agency
According to The Sun, Bosnic, 35, studied economics in school and worked at the Mamic Sports Agency, which is run by famous sports administrator and agent Zdravko Mamić. She met Modric through the agency in 2007, as the midfielder was a client of theirs during his time with the Croatian football club Dinamo Zagreb. She oversaw Modric’s transfer to Tottenham.
Marca.com reports that Bosnic was the first to suggest that Modric needed to give his career “a nudge,” and suggested that he play in the Premier League. Bosnic felt that Dinamo Zagreb had become too small for a player of his talent, and suggested that he emigrate to foreign shores to take advantage of his potential star power. The pair became romantically involved during this time.
Marca.com adds that the couple quickly became inseparable, and Bosnic left her position with Mamic Sports Agency to fully support Modric’s career decisions.
2. She Became Modric’s Personal Agent After They Married In 2010
GettyLuka Modric and his family.
Modric and Bosnic were married in May 2010 in the Croatian capital of Zagreb. Modric’s former Tottenham and Croatian teammate Vedran Corluka was the best man at their wedding, and the couple gave birth to their first child, Ivano, three weeks later.
After their wedding, Bosnic left Mamic Sports Agency to become her husband’s personal agent. Her former employer, Zdravko Mamić, is currently under investigation for siphoning over €15m from Dinamo club, and there is an international warrant out for her arrest.
After transitioning to a lone client, Bosnic handled every detail of Modric’s contract, and, when it came to transferring, helped him decide which club had the most to offer. “The decision to openly rebel, to refuse boarding Tottenham’s plane to Los Angeles, to remain separated from the squad despite all the pressure and to turn down other juicier offers was talked about at length, and backed up, by his wife,” wrote Marca.com journalist Ulises Sánchez.
Eventually, Bosnic negotiated a massive five-year deal to take Modric to Real Madrid in 2012. “It’s going to be tough for me to earn a place but that’s the challenge, the biggest challenge of my career,” Modric told SportSkeeda. “Expectations are as high as possible and I’m ready for that.”
3. She & Modric Have Three Children Together
Bosnic and Modric have three children together: Ivano, Ema, and Sofia, who was born last year. The children can often be seen accompanying their parents in public, including when Modric signed to Real Madrid.
In a 2017 interview with SportSkeeda, Modric spoke on the importance of family in relation to his football career. “This is a very emotional week for me, considering the birth of my third child, daughter Sofija, and the 100th cap for Croatia,” Modric said. “That makes me very happy and proud. To be honest, I have never expected to reach this number, my dream was only to play for Croatia at least once. This landmark is beyond all expectations. Let us hope for a positive outcome.”
More recently, Bosnic and Modric’s children were spotted playing on the field after a Croatian victory on July 12th. “The pictures of smiling children looking up at their fathers on Russian pitches tell the story of real people fulfilling a lifetime’s dream,” wrote Sydney Morning Herald journalist James Lemon. “The names Modric, Rakitic or Vida carry much more than just fantasy football numbers.”
Lemon goes on to report that the children have done this on several occasions after the Croatian team wins, signifying a tight-knit squad of footballers and their families.
4. She & Modric Were Accused of Dodging Spanish Tax Laws In 2018
Modric was called upon to testify when Mamic was accused of siphoning money from his club. According to Total Croatia News, the footballer’s testimony caused quite a stir because he did not remember how much he initially earned after signing his initial contract with Mamic.
Modric’s legal troubles continued into 2018, when both be and Bosnic were called to appear before the Spanish court, as the Spanish State Attorney’s Office claims that the couple deceived their tax administration laws. The deception allegedly started when Modric and Bosnic set up a company in Luxembourg, which is well out of Spanish jurisdiction when it comes to paying taxes.
Modric and Bosnic named their company Ivano SARL, after their first son, and through this company, Bosnic has arranged a contract that allows her husband to use his persona for brands like Nike and Nivea without having to technically worry about Spanish tax. In Spain, the couple would have to pay 30% of their income from the company, but in Luxembourg, they only have to pay 1%.
“Although the company is well established, leaving Modric’s rights to her (Bosnic) is a simulation,” stated 24 Sata. “The only goal of transferring the right to the business is to pay her money to avoid paying tax in Spain.”
The couple eventually admitted to tax evasion, according to Total Croatia News, and paid the Spanish State Attorney’s Office an estimated one million euros so that they would avoid any potential jail time.
5. She Doesn’t Have Any Social Media Accounts
Despite her profession as a sports agent, and the notoriety that her husband gets as the Croatia team captain, Bosnic prefers to stay out of the limelight. According to The Sun, she does not currently have any social media accounts, and the only photos of her that appear online are either through Modric’s accounts or through close friends.
One user posted a photo of Modric and Bosnic with the caption: “These two adorable, precious and most beautiful angel are united since 8 years. wow. they really deserve all happiness of this world. they look so happy together and may god bless them and their family. Luka & Vanja, my personal royal couple.”
Another user posted a photo of the couple on July 18th with the caption: “Modric and his birthday girl.”