"This group is crazy, we did it", celebrates Messi

Lionel Messi and Luka Modric, in the greeting prior to the start of the match between Argentina and Croatia. (FIFA)

The night was presented as an all or nothing for two legends: Lionel Messi won (3-0) and will play in the World Cup final, Luka Modric said goodbye and it seems unlikely that in 2026, at the age of 41, he will continue to captain Croatia. Although seen his performance, nothing is impossible.

‘LM’ vs. ‘LM’both number 10 and captains of their teams, the Croatian, finalist and Ballon d’Or at the World Cup in Russia-2018the Argentine, same bittersweet balance four years earlier in Brazil-2014.

More than fifteen years ago, in March 2006, the two figures had collided for the first time at an international level. Just two youth players met in a friendly in which Messi scored his first international goal and Modric made his debut with the Croatian team, which they won 3-2.

– Embrace of captains –

Since then, the Argentinian played five World Cups and won seven Ballon d’Ors, four and one in those categories for the Croatian. Two legendary races that lived one of his last clashes this Tuesday in Doha.

The genius of Real Madrid packs his bags, Messi will return to Lusail in five days to search for the title that is missing from his record of living myth. He will play the winner of the match between France and Morocco on Wednesday.

Old acquaintances in a thousand battles Barcelona-Real MadridMessi and Modric embraced in the field draw with the Italian referee Daniele Orsato.

Half an hour before the start of the game, Rodrigo’s ‘The Hand of God’ thunders through the loudspeakers and Argentina jumps to warm up with Messi, wearing a new haircut, always in the lead.

Modric and his troops were already on the pitch, whose appearance was less spectacular. A few thousand Croatian fans occupied a background in the albiceleste tide that for the fourth time in this tournament stained the monumental Lusail.

Two years older -37 compared to 35-, it seems miraculous that Modric continues to command the vast plain that exists between the two areas. From putting pressure on the Argentine defenders to helping his own.

The marathon Messi has long been left behind. The genius doses his efforts to the maximum to keep his clairvoyance when deciding. And in the World Cup in Qatar so far it has worked out wonderfully.

History. ???? pic.twitter.com/0lYpsVCcGk

— FIFA World Cup ? (@fifaworldcup_es) December 13, 2022

– The alarms go off –

While walking in the initial stretch of the game, the ‘Flea’ he began to touch the back of his left thighlosing some balls that raised questions about a possible injury.

The game was in those, with Modric omnipresent and Messi a dropper, when Enzo Fernández found Julián Álvarez in space. The goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic came out without much finesse and the penalty came that changed the sign of the duel.

Messi scored, five goals in five World Cup games although three penalties, and then alvarez He made it 2-0 with a ride for the legend.

With such a mountain to climb, the Croatian team could only turn to attack. Modric did not lose face in the game and kept rowing.

The 10 of the Albiceleste starred in the other great play of the match, leaving Josko Gvardiol sitting out and giving up Álvarez, who closed his great night with another goal after 69 minutes.

In the 80′ the Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic threw in the towel Y replaced Modric by Lovro Majer. Lusail gave him a standing ovation and his deputies stood up to receive the genius.