Is Modric the best midfielder in this WC?

Croatia face France in Moscow on Sunday attempting to win their first World Cup while Didier Deschamps' side are aiming to land their second title two decades on from their triumph on home soil.

France, who are clear favourites to triumph in the Luzhniki Stadium, will also be spurred on by the bitter disappointment of losing the Euro 2016 final to Portugal in Paris.

It is a final few people anticipated when football's global showpiece kicked off four weeks ago.

Croatia have brought joy to their Balkan nation of just four million people by defying the odds to progress to the final while reigning champions Germany, then Argentina and Brazil all fell by the wayside in Russia.

They have been inspired by mercurial midfielder Luka Modric while coach Zlatko Dalic, who only took over last year with the squad in chaos, has coaxed remarkable performances from his team.

Deschamps would become only the third man to win the World Cup as both a player and a manager -- he was captain when France lifted the World Cup in 1998.

His France side, spearheaded by 19-year-old forward Kylian Mbappe and the more seasoned Antoine Griezmann, are the favourites.

Paul Pogba has finally become a leader in midfield for France and N'Golo Kante has excelled in doing the tireless work that allows his teammates to shine, while Samuel Umtiti and Raphael Varane are the nucleus of a solid defence.

Les Bleus laboured through their group, beating Australia and Peru by the odd goal and drawing with Denmark in the only goalless game of the tournament.

Then they hit form, sweeping aside Argentina in a match which announced to the world that Mbappe is set to be an international superstar as he scored twice and outshone Lionel Messi.

But apart from that 4-3 win, France have played like a Deschamps side, with the emphasis on defence.

Real Madrid stalwart Luka Modric after yet another fine performance against Brazil in the quarter-final of FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar revealed that he sees glimpses of his club mentality in the Croatian side.

Mordic-led Croatia sent hot-favourites Brazil packing to cement successive semi-finals for Zlatko Dalic's side.

The 2018 Ballon d'Or winner will once again be the focal point in Croatia's much-accomplished midfield trio that includes Marcelo Brozovic and Mateo Kovacic as Croatia will take on two-time champions Argentina in the semi-final on Tuesday.

Croatia has shown tremendous resilience and expertise, particularly in midfield to manage the game and set things in motion for their team.

With a semi-final against Lionel Messi's Argentina beckoning, Croatia must rest and recover, because they will be required to give every ounce of sweat again. Dalic's side will however have fond memories of facing the Albiceleste as they handed the two-time winners a 3-0 drubbing in the group-stage of the 2018 World Cup. 

That resilience and determination is a key part of their game and would not be possible if players like Modric did not give their all, despite his status as a Ballon d'Or winner.

Such qualities have often taken Real Madrid to numerous triumphs in the recent past with the Los Blancos making remarkable turnarounds from bleak outlooks with only their grit and experience to take them through. Modric said that he has found those traits in his Croatian side.

"You could say we have the same DNA as Real Madrid because we always keep going until the end, and never give up", the 37-year-old told in an interview with EL Chiringuito, reported via La Sexta.

Croatia's midfield was able to help them keep the ball for an hour of the game, stopping the likes of Neymar, Vinicius Junior and Raphinha, racking up even more opportunities.

"I said several times that Croatia has the best midfield in the world," proud coach Zlatko Dalic told a press conference after Friday's game.

"We can pass the ball, control the game and control the ball, we did that today. Our midfielders were not hasty, that was the most important part.

"I believe the midfield is the best part of our team, they (kept) possession and blocked our opponents."

When they finished runners-up in 2018 it was with Ivan Rakitic on the side, but Kovacic has stepped into his shoes.

Inter Milan's Brozovic plays the deepest of the trio and never allowed Brazil to be comfortable, while Chelsea's Kovacic is highly mobile and always offering options.

However, it is Real Madrid midfielder Modric, 37, who earned special praise, both for his quality and his longevity.

Modric also stepped up in the shootout, sending Brazil goalkeeper Alisson Becker the wrong way with a coolly-taken spot-kick.

"Again Luka led for 120 mins (at) a great rhythm and took the penalty when he needed to," said Dalic.

"It's unbelievable how he plays. He is not tired, he didn't fall behind, and he played the whole 120 minutes.

"At 37 years of age it is unbelievable but that is Luka Modric and it shows he is one of the best players in the world."
 

Croatian prosecutors again charged Thursday the national team captain Luka Modric and former international Dejan Lovren for giving false testimony in a major football-related corruption trial.

Both players appeared in 2017 as witnesses during the multi-million-euro corruption trial of former Dinamo Zagreb boss Zdravko Mamic providing details of their transfers from the current Croatia champions.

At the time, Modric testified over the details of his 2008 transfer from Dinamo to Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. He went on to join Real Madrid in 2012.

Lovren provided details about his 2010 transfer from Dinamo to French side Lyon, where he is currently playing.

Both players were charged with perjury in 2018, but the charges were later dropped, due to lack of evidence -- that year for Modric and in early 2019 for Lovren.

on Thursday, prosecutors in the eastern town of Osijek indicted two people, citing only the years of their birth, for "giving false testimony". Local media identified them as Modric and Lovren.

Modric is charged with providing false testimony "on June 13, 2017 before the Osijek county court", a prosecutors' statement, said citing the date when the star midfielder testified during the Mamic trial.

Lovren was indicted over on September 1, 2017.

Perjury is punishable by up to five years in prison in Croatia.

Mamic and the three others were found guilty of charges of abuse of power and corruption that cost Dinamo more than 15 million euros ($16.3 million), and the state 1.5 million euros.

According to the indictment, cash was embezzled through fictitious deals related to player transfers.

Mamic, considered the kingpin of the Balkan country's football and currently hiding in neighbouring Bosnia, was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in jail.

Modric was charged just days after Real Madrid said the 37-year-old will stay with the club for another season after renewing his deal until June 2024.

The veteran player took Croatia to the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia.

Luka Modric said Italy's last-gasp equaliser was a "cruel" way for Croatia to be pushed to the brink of elimination from Euro 2024 on Monday.

The 38-year-old became the oldest goalscorer in European Championship history when he prodded home in the 55th minute to put Croatia on track to reach the knockout phase for a fifth straight major tournament.

But Mattia Zaccagni's curling strike in the eighth and final minute of added time snatched Italy a 1-1 draw which put the holders into the last 16.

"We kept battling right until the end but unfortunately football was merciless with us tonight," said Modric.

"It was cruel... but that's part and parcel of football."

Croatia finished third in Group B behind runners-up Italy and Spain.

They will be knocked out of the tournament on Tuesday if England do not beat Slovenia 3-0 or by four goals, or if Denmark fail to defeat Serbia.

The 2022 World Cup semi-finalists were the better side for long periods against Italy in Leipzig, missing chances to score a second goal late on.

"It's hard when you lose like this to find the words to describe how you feel," added Modric, whose goal came less than 60 seconds after he had a penalty saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma.

"Perhaps it's unfair because we all really fought for Croatia right from the first whistle until the last. We should be proud of the way we represented our country tonight."

Modric is playing in his fifth Euros and has also appeared at four World Cups.

But he said he would not be retiring from football yet, as he continues to perform at the highest level after also winning his sixth Champions League title with Real Madrid earlier this month.

"I'd like to keep playing forever but there will probably be a time I'll have to hang up my boots," Modric said.

"I'll keep playing on, I don't know for how much longer."

His first European Championship ended with an agonising quarter-final exit at the hands of Turkey in 2008, when Croatia took the lead in the 119th minute in extra time, before conceding an equaliser and then losing on penalties.

Modric admitted Monday's heartbreak ranked alongside that loss 16 years ago.

"It's hard to actually outdo the Turkey game from 2008 but this game probably runs it pretty close. It's certainly a sad day for us and the Croatian national team."

Modric was substituted in the 80th minute, left to watch from the sidelines as Zaccagni likely sent his team crashing out in agonising fashion.

"I didn't want to waste him for more minutes, we needed to freshen up and get some guys on the pitch who could help," said coach Zlatko Dalic.

"I wanted in the last 10-15 minutes to bring on someone who was a bit fresher because Luka had given everything."

France managed to overcome mistakes and imperfections in their World Cup final victory over Croatia with sheer mental strength to lift the trophy for the second time, coach Didier Deschamps said on Sunday.

France overpowered Croatia 4-2 to lift the trophy and Deschamps became only the third man, after Brazil's Mario Zagallo and German Franz Beckenbauer to win it both as player and coach.

But they were made to sweat for about an hour and needed an own goal and a penalty to take the lead.

"My greatest source of pride is they had the right state of mind," Deschamps, who had captained France to the 1998 title, told reporters.

"Today there were imperfections, we did not do everything right but we had those mental and psychological qualities which were decisive for this World Cup."

France took the lead from a Mario Mandzukic own goal and they had to soak up a sustained Croatian offensive, including a 28th-minute equaliser, before going in front with a penalty.

They then struck twice midway through the second half to put the game beyond the Croats.

Deschamps said 14 of his players were World Cup newcomers but were ready to work towards a common goal and were mentally more mature than their age.

"Talent is not sufficient. You need the psychological and mental aspects. Any team is then able to climb mountains," Deschamps said.

"Sometimes I can be hard very hard with them but I do it for them and even though they are young they usually do listen."

Among the newcomers are Kylian Mbappe who was voted young player of the tournament and scored France's fourth goal.

"The collective is always important but there are individual players who have made the difference," he said, naming Mbappe and man-of-the-match Antoine Griezmann.

"Those 23 players will now be linked forever whatever happens. They will go different paths but will forever be linked together and from today nothing will be the same professionally because they are world champions.

"We will realise what has happened tomorrow," he said after his players stormed the news conference twice to douse him with champagne. "At the moment they do not know what it is to be world champions."

The 49-year-old coach, who also led France to the Euro 2016 final only to lose in Paris to Portugal, said that defeat may have been key to winning the World Cup.

"Maybe if we were Euro champions we would not have been world champions today. I learned a lot from that defeat," he said.

"The Euro final was different. We tried to stay relaxed this time and the players knew what they had to do and what was at stake."