Croats bank on midfield master Modric

Moscow, July 10: “We keep hearing the same question and we give out the same answer,” said Croatia’s Ivan Perisic last week.

Every time a Croatian player appears before the media at this World Cup, he knows a question about Modric is coming, and every time the answer reflects the admiration there is in the squad for their captain.

The 32- year- old has been outstanding in his team’s run to the semifinal, picking up the Man- of- the- Match award in three of Croatia’s five matches.

Modric has scored twice in Russia, including a fabulous goal in the 3- 0 win over Argentina in the group stage, and netted in nail- biting penalty shootouts against Denmark and Russia.

The coolness displayed by the Real Madrid playmaker in the Last- 16 tie against the Danes was impressive — having missed a penalty late in extra time, he still stepped up to score another spot- kick only a few minutes later.

After once again starring as Real won a fourth Champions League crown in five seasons by beating Liverpool in Kiev in May, Modric will be almost assured of winning the Ballon d’Or if he can lead Croatia all the way to improbable World Cup glory. twice

“I’ve known Luka for a number of years, not only with the national team. We played at club level as well,” says striker Mario Mandzukic, who played with Modric at Dinamo Zagreb a decade ago before the latter joined Tottenham Hotspur.

“He deserves all the accolades he gets from the media and public. He has worked very hard to get to this point. He is our captain, our leader, we follow him and if the team manages a great result and he gets the Ballon d’Or he will deserve it, and I want it for him,” he added.

For a country like Croatia, with a population of little over four million, to be in the semifinals of the World Cup is a remarkable achievement.

There is little prospect that they would have come this far without Modric, who as a boy was forced to flee his village home after his grandfather was killed by Serb forces in the Croatian independence war.

Modric has been on the front line in painful past failures for the national team, missing a penalty in a shootout as Croatia lost to Turkey in the quarter- finals of Euro 2008.

Two years ago they were knocked out of Euro 2016 after conceding a late goal in extra- time against Portugal.

“We took a difficult route. We were unlucky at previous tournaments but now we are collecting those debts this year,” said Modric after the quarter- final win over Russia.

If Modric can rouse himself to control another match against England, Croatia have every chance.

— AFP