Luka Modric is Croatia’s greatest-ever player, but he was upstaged by arguably the best of all time, Lionel Messi, as Argentina crushed his World Cup dreams in Qatar on Tuesday. 

After orchestrating his country’s run to a second straight World Cup semi-final, 37-year-old Modric’s team were swept aside 3-0 by the South American side.

Coach Zlatko Dalic boasted that Croatia – with Modric supported by Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic – had “the best midfield in the world” after their shock quarter-final elimination of Brazil.

That midfield has enabled a nation of just under four million to consistently compete with the world’s strongest teams, but they ran out of steam against a combative Argentina.

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