From this season, Real Madrid midfield will feature two Croatians. Luka Modrić joined the Spanish giants from English side Tottenham in 2012, while Mateo Kovačić joined this summer from the Italian side Inter.
Kovačić, a 21-year-old with 21 caps for Croatia and one international goal, against Gibraltar in June 2015, signed a six-year contract at Santiago Bernabeu. He moved to Serie A in 2013, after leaving the ranks of Dinamo Zagreb.
The young Croatian will wear No. 16 shirt at "the biggest club in the world".
"The first team I knew about as a boy was Real Madrid and I still can't believe that I've joined. This is a club used to winning trophies and I want to lift as many as possible. I'm living a dream. My whole family and I are delighted to be here and I hope to stay for a long time to come", said Kovačić.
At Inter, Kovačić was playing alongside Marcelo Brozović, while at Real he will have the support of Luka Modrić, who is already one of the key players in the team now under Rafael Benitez.
"I learned a lot in Italy, and not just about football, I matured a lot. I had a marvellous time there. A new challenge has now presented itself at Real Madrid and I'm fully focused on my new team. Having the support of a player like Luka Modrić is really important for me. He has been here for two or three years now and I'm sure that he'll be able to teach me a lot. I hope that we can play together for many years", Kovačić added.
