There is no doubt that Luka Modric is one of the greatest players to ever pull on a Croatia shirt.  

The Real Madrid midfielder has made 214 appearances since joining the club in 2012, becoming one of the most important names on the teamsheet.  

He has won every major club honour in Spain, including La Liga and the Copa del Rey and he's also won the Champions League three times.

A player like that should also be the pride of his country. His actions on the pitch have earnt him the title of Croation Footballer of the Year on five different occasions, with his last win in 2016.

The 31-year-old has captained his national team since August 2016 and scored a number of important goals at the European Championships a few months before.  

However, he is now facing calls to give up the captaincy, less than a year after securing it.

According to Goal, Modric has been verbally attacked by fans after he spoke out as a witness defending Zdravko Mamic at a trial in court.    

Mamic is a highly controversial figure in Croation football, after being accused of taking €20 million out of Dinamo Zagreb where he was their exclusive director between 2003 and 2016.   

It's also been suggested that Modric received a sum of money after his transfer from Dinamo to Tottenham in 2008, which he passed on in part to Mamic.   

After the Madrid star gave testimony at the court trial, fans have been quick to abuse him, writing 'Mamic’s whore’ and 'Luka ‘cash machine’ Modric' on banners and in graffiti.     

His open support has angered football fans across the country, who are unhappy with the actions of Mamic and Modric is directly in their firing line.   

The midfielders fall from being one of the nation's most loved icons to where he is now is spectacular, but it is yet confirmed if he will drop the captaincy.