Modric not resting on his laurels as he seeks World Cup progress
LUKA MODRIC says dark horses Croatia will have achieved nothing if they bow out of the World Cup against Denmark today.
Real Madrid’s former Tottenham midfielder is in the form of his life but says his country must not get carried away after taking maximum points from the group stage, including a 3-0 demolition of Argentina.
Croatia are tipped by many to at least match their 1998 exploits when they reached the semi-finals and Modric said last night: ‘This is an important game for us and I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved so far. But we need to forget everything that has gone before.
‘It will be a stern test but it’s high time this generation got over this particular hurdle which have not managed to do since 1998. We are full of confidence and we’ve shown during the group stage that we play as a team, but we have to do it again.’
Modric, four-time Champions League winner with Real, comes up against Christian Eriksson, who has taken over his mantle as Tottenham’s most creative player.
‘I don’t like to compare others with me but what I can say about Eriksson is that he’s a world-class player and has had a fantastic season at Tottenham,’ added Modric. ‘He’s Denmark’s most important player but what will decide things is how the teams perform as a collective. Individuals can dictate certain incidents but it’s how you perform as a team that counts.’