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13th December 2022
10:11pm GMT
(Photo by Luka Stanzl/Pixsell/MB Media/Getty Images)[/caption]
"Watched him at Spurs and, when he left, I thought, 'He's got a lot to do, this lad, going to Real Madrid'. But he's gone up so many levels. I can't believe it, honestly. "It's brilliant to see it - his consistency, week-in, week-out, at international level. His calmness when you watch him on the ball. He's one of those players you'd happily go pay to watch."For the opening half-hour of the World Cup, all of those Luka Modric qualities were on top-shelf display. Croatia, with their three-man centre midfield combination, looked the more crisp and composed. At one stage, Modric was required to defend after a set-piece went awry and he found himself running 80 metres to cover in at right back and make a headed clearance. He was playing to his usual high standards. However, when Julian Alvarez was felled for a penalty that Messi duly converted, Argentina kicked into another gear. A second goal followed after a direct Alvarez run combined with poor Croatian defending. Mwssi and Alvarez linked up for the third goal dagger, and Modric was brought off with 10 minutes to play. Following the game, Keane and fellow ITV pundits Gary Neville and Ian Wright saluted Modric for his World Cup performances while professing this was a night when it looked as though Messi was well aware of his footballing destiny. The two veterans hugged each other, out on the pitch, and Angel Di Maria sought out Modric to commiserate, too. FIFA's official broadcast followed Modric up the tunnel, towards the changing rooms, and caught Argentina legend Sergio Aguero stop him for a hug, and a few words. For Croatian fans, and many others, seeing Modric so despondent, and empty, would have been heartbreaking. Unlike Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Suarez and others, though, there were no tears. https://twitter.com/HassanAlsafi18/status/1602776679239270400 https://youtu.be/Z6jJhkLuM5M https://twitter.com/shaunjlawson/status/1602783285901500417 https://twitter.com/ESPNFC/status/1602770593648373760 Luke Modric has played 160 games for Croatia now, stretching back to his debut in 2006. Game No.161 could follow in the 3rd/4th place playoff, then questions will linger about his future in international football. He will be 38 when Euro 2024 rolls around, so do not rule that out as a swan song. The 2026 World Cup is surely too far, and too much, even for a player that makes it look as effortless as Luke Modric. Related articles:
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