Mini Modric! Dynamo Zagreb Youth Alen Halilovic (16) scores Golazos for fun against peers 2 years older

The recurrence of top-quality, long-distance Golazos at such an age and with such a diminutive physique is frightening from Dynamo Zagreb’s youth player Alen Halilovic. A Gazelle-like fleet of foot, mop of blond hair, and pinpoint left foot : the comparisons with Luka Modric are inevitable. As are the ‘Real Madrid’, ‘Barcelona’, and, oh, say ‘Chelsea’ links.

Even Lionel Messi did not appear as head-and-shoulders above everyone else at the same age, nor did he score such a wide range of goals; undergoing growth hormone treatment left him feeling weak and lacking in the leg strength to shoot from long distance; this is a skill he only developed more gradually over time.

In fact it’s difficult to think of any player with such an accurate strike and ability to score from distance as Halilovic at this age. The absence of step-overs and show-boating is also impressive; aside from the odd nutmegs Halilovic keeps it simple and direct.

Watch Alen Halilovic scoring Golazos for fun and terrorising Croatian defences on the clip below.

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