Luka Modrić

[Givenchy]

England were less and less in the game partly due to experience of the Croatia players handling the pressure better and Raki and Modric did improve without being anything great.

The England players were inexperienced and exactly as I said in the match thread they shit the bed when game became theirs to lose in latter stages.

For me Raki and Modric were not in Croatia best 2/3 players tonight and Modric was fucked in ET but they as all of Croatia team did get better in 2nd half.

I dont think Modric has been nearly as amazing at this WC as some make out and think he looks leggy compared to the past. Obviously still has got lots of quality on ball.

Dont buy the idea he plays like in his mid twenties and think he has declined a bit.

totally agree with this. I think alot of Messi fans are hyping Modric up abit in desperation for the Ballon d'or to goto anyone but Ronaldo

 

[West Saxon]

I guess it depends on what you think the Ballon d'Or should be. Some think it should be for the best player in the world, others think it should be for the player who's achieved the most that year. I personally think it should be for the best player in the world, otherwise you end making cases for people like Riyad Mahrez to win the Ballon d'Or. Modric is a great player, but not the best in the world.

 

[Andrew M]

Modric is an incredible player who doesn't get the respect he deserves.

Every bit as good as Xavi and Iniesta in my view.

If Croatia lift the WC I think he would deserve the Ballon d'Or as much as anyone.

I guess it depends on what you think the Ballon d'Or should be. Some think it should be for the best player in the world, others think it should be for the player who's achieved the most that year. I personally think it should be for the best player in the world, otherwise you end making cases for people like Riyad Mahrez to win the Ballon d'Or. Modric is a great player, but not the best in the world.

Your argument falls flat because you need to perform on the biggest stage (CL and World Cup), not just a weak Premier League.

 

[weloveyuner]

Can you imagine what our midfield would have been like all of these years if we had Rakitic and Modric, paired with Busquets? Unstoppable.

 

[JerseyAddict]

I can't write anything...still...
2 games on PKs, 1 game ET...

What Croatia has in this team it is something other countries don't have and didn't have in their entire history.
What Croatia has in Raki Modrić midfield it is something only a few teams ever had.

Modrić is one of all times MID greats.

If Modrić scores in final I will give him Iniesta credit. Thill then he is just a straw short.

 

[Gaudi]

Modric was pretty underwhelming during 1st half, but he grew and grew as the game went on.

Overall, it's a very good performance from him tonight.

The guy has been nothing short but amazing for the past 5 seasons for Real Madrid, probably the best midfielder in the world.

And now Croatia will play in the 1st ever World Cup final. Should win Ballon d'Or if they win it.



Croatian posters: Do you genuinely believe that Modric should be considered on the same level as Xavi/Iniesta or perhaps even higher?

[MENTION=19742]vlad[/MENTION] [MENTION=2]Barcaman[/MENTION] [MENTION=16775]dakt[/MENTION] [MENTION=6033]BarcaGirl[/MENTION] [MENTION=22463]Joan Laporta[/MENTION] [MENTION=16942]BBZ8800[/MENTION] [MENTION=21233]JerseyAddict[/MENTION] [MENTION=20770]Raketa10[/MENTION] [MENTION=14062]Gaudi[/MENTION]

I don't even like him so I think I can be quite objective here: Yes, he is one of the best midfielders in this sport. It's always difficult to place someone over someone and there will always be discussions over that ( I mean people talk CR-Messi while this is clear to me) but Modrić is elite midfielder.
He should have been Barca player

 

[Ursegor]

Its going to sound weird, but i dont think Modric has been as good as many people think.
One of the better players in the tournament, surely, and it wouldnt be absurd if he got the player of the tournament award, but i think that it also goes to show that there hasnt been many standout players this tournament. There has been many good performances, but i dont think there has been a single player who has dominated the tournament, really. Its the WC of setpieces, after all.

He has been mediocre and about as good as Rakitic overall. Insane hype machine all of a sudden. "Same level as Xavi or higher". LMAO

This forum has lost it completely after Madrid's 3rd CL in a row.

 

[Morten]

He has been mediocre and about as good as Rakitic overall. Insane hype machine all of a sudden. "Same level as Xavi or higher". LMAO

This forum has lost it completely after Madrid's 3rd CL in a row.

Think he has been good this tournament, not great, but just good overall.
Mediocre for his standards, i think is the best way to put it.

 

[Neeraj]

Think he has been good this tournament, not great, but just good overall.
Mediocre for his standards, i think is the best way to put it.

I agree with this. Even yesterday, he was poor for large portions of the game, especially in the first half.

Also, this WC, we haven't had an absolute hype fueled breakout "young" player like James! (Mbappe is already a big name)

 

[Morten]

I agree with this. Even yesterday, he was poor for large portions of the game, especially in the first half.

Also, this WC, we haven't had an absolute hype fueled breakout "young" player like James! (Mbappe is already a big name)

Tbf, yesterday was probably his worst game this tournament, overall an okay performance still.
I would say he deserves a spot on team of the tournament, when it comes to player of the tournament, i actually think thats a defender or a gk, but those rarely wins any rewards.

 

[vlad]

He is on the same level as xavi, iniesta, zidane, he is main engine in real madrid and now croatia, i dont want to repeat real's success in CL, but croatia is going to WC final with modric, thats something special, i dont want to take nothing from xavi and iniesta in NT team, but they had better players around that is not even comparable, if croatia wins WC, he will be greatest midfielder of all time for me, nobody will change my opinion.


I think real madrid fans consider him as a best purchase ever in real history, who else? They never had so much success in CL before, i dont count 50-s

 

[Ursegor]

Real Madrid won all their recent CLs due to a combination of:

a) Ramos last minute heroics
b) easy draws
c) Ronaldo scoring braces and hattricks for fun against Bayern, Atletico, Juventus and everyone else
d) Referees gifting key decision to Madrid in crucial moments

But the last reason was Modric being some sort of midfield god. Real got ran over in the middle of the park countless times, against Bayern, against Juventus, in countless Clasicos. To build up this narrative of Modric being the best midfielder of all time all of a sudden is a total joke. Tell me one memorable Modric Clasico performance in the last 5 years. Just one.

[youtube]q55cCTk7jr0[/youtube]

[youtube]Rp6AfbOHM-c[/youtube]

Not even in the same tier.

Making it past Russia and England with players like Mandzukic, Perisic, Rakitic in the team is not a huge miracle either.

 

[Morten]

Real Madrid won all their recent CLs due to a combination of:

a) Ramos last minute heroics
b) easy draws
c) Ronaldo scoring braces and hattricks for fun against Bayern, Atletico, Juventus and everyone else
d) Referees gifting key decision to Madrid in crucial moments

But the last reason was Modric being some sort of midfield god. Real got ran over in the middle of the park countless times, against Bayern, against Juventus, in countless Clasicos. To build up this narrative of Modric being the best midfielder of all time all of a sudden is a total joke. Tell me one memorable Modric Clasico performance in the last 5 years. Just one.

[youtube]q55cCTk7jr0[/youtube]

[youtube]Rp6AfbOHM-c[/youtube]

Not even in the same tier.

I was saying Modric has been overhyped this tournament, despite having a good/decent tournament, but there is no underestimating what he has done for RM.
He has been one of our top performers over the years, especially in the CL, look no further than the final against Liverpool, he kept us alive in the first half.

 

[Ursegor]

I was saying Modric has been overhyped this tournament, despite having a good/decent tournament, but there is no underestimating what he has done for RM.
He has been one of our top performers over the years, especially in the CL, look no further than the final against Liverpool, he kept us alive in the first half.

Sure, doesn't make him "best midfielder of all time" though. He's not in that tier just like Ramos is not in the tier for best defenders of all time despite being clutch for you and having won everything there is to win.

 

[Morten]

Sure, doesn't make him "best midfielder of all time" though. He's not in that tier just like Ramos is not in the tier for best defenders of all time despite being clutch for you and having won everything there is to win.

I dont think he is quite there either, but is also a bit subjective, isnt it?
Like, so many rate Xavi as the undisputable best of his generation(if not of all time), but personally, i dont see why Iniesta isnt in the same tier, and i always found him more impressive for the national side than Xavi. So, some think Xavi is untouchable, yet i think he is slightly overrated, much like you think Modric is slightly overrated, and i think he is properly rated overall(despite the hype train this tournament).

People just have different opinions.