Messi vs Modric: Two of the best footballers in the semi-finals

The FIFA World Cup 2022 semi-final matches are starting today.

On Tuesday night, the first semi-final between Argentina and Croatia will be played at Lusail Stadium in Qatar.

On Wednesday, defending champion France will face Morocco. The first semi-final will determine the last wish of world football superstar Lionel Messi.

The game against Croatia is important for Messi, who completed his first goal by winning the Copa America title last year, to lift the World Cup trophy, which is his last goal.

Last edition’s runners-up Croatia, especially the midfielders, will challenge Argentina. Messi has achieved everything in club football.

He won 10 La Liga titles for Spanish giants Barcelona. After joining the French club PSG, Messi has won the league title there as well.

Messi, a four-time Champions League winner, broke his country’s title drought by winning the Copa America 2021.

Messi, who has won the Ballon d’Or award a record seven times, is now saying that this is his last chance to win the World Cup.

The 35-year-old Messi wants to win the World Cup to reach the heights of world football’s all-time greats Pele of Brazil and Diego Maradona of Argentina.

Argentina last won the World Cup 36 years ago in 1986 under Maradona’s dominant performance. In 2014, the opportunity to win the title came for Argentina.

But Messi and Argentina’s dreams were shattered when they lost to Germany in the final. Eight years later, Messi has another opportunity.

But it is not easy for Argentina to overcome Croatia in the semi-finals. On the other hand, for Croatia, this time there is an opportunity to forget the pain of 2018.

They still haven’t forgotten the pain of losing to France in the 2018 Russia World Cup final. After last year, Croatia beat Denmark and Russia in penalty shootout to reach the last four.

The same happened this time. After defeating Japan and Brazil in the penalty shootout, Croatia made it to the semi-finals.

It’s been 24 years since Croatia won a World Cup knockout stage win in 90 minutes. The last time Croatia beat Germany 3-0 in the quarter-finals of the 1998 World Cup.

Led by 37-year-old midfielder Luka Modric, Croatia are playing excellent football in the midfield. Due to which he was able to make it to the final four.

Apart from the extra time game, Modric’s rhythm is the same, he is shadowing the team. In the 2018 World Cup, Argentina and Croatia met in the group stage.

At that time, Croatia won 3-0 against Argentina. Therefore, Argentina will not think weak even by forgetting Croatia. Messi vs Modric The first semi-final match will be between Messi and Modric.

The number 10 jersey, Ballon d’Or winner and captaincy is common to both players of the country. This could be the last chance for both Messi and Modric to win the World Cup before they retire.

Modric for Argentina and Messi for Croatia are challenges. Both are making an impact on their teams and will have an impact in the semi-finals as well.

Both of them have contributed significantly to the team in reaching the semi-finals. Both of them scored important goals in the penalty shootout of the last eight.

Messi scored the first penalty against the Netherlands and Modric scored the third penalty against Brazil. Modric is the first player to score in three consecutive penalty shootouts at the World Cup.

Messi will always play at the same level for 90 minutes or if the game is extended to 120 minutes. Messi has four goals and two assists in the ongoing World Cup.

Modric has yet to score both goals and assists. While Messi plays more in the front line, Modric plays in the midfield to advance the ball into the opposition area for the team.

Messi scored a penalty against Saudi Arabia in the group stage. He scored a goal and an assist against Mexico. However, he missed a penalty against Poland in the group stage.

Messi, who scored in the last 16 against Australia, made a great pass to score the first goal against the Netherlands. Messi scored the second goal against the Netherlands.

Modric did not play full time in the last 16 match against Japan. But he was on the field for 120 minutes in the match against Brazil.

Messi has scored 25 goals in the ongoing World Cup. Out of which 12 shots are on target. On the other hand, Modric has given 201 passes in the final third.

This is the fourth most passes in the final third in the ongoing World Cup. Messi is eighth in this list. He provided 171 passes in the final third.

Modric is fifth in the list of players with the most crosses in the ongoing World Cup. He has already crossed 28.

On the other hand, both the players have played in the World Cup finals. Eight years ago, Messi received the Golden Ball when Argentina lost to Germany in the final.

In the last edition too, Messi’s fate became the same for Madrid. Defeated in the final but won the Golden Ball. Messi has reached 10 goals in the World Cup.

Only seven players have scored more than 10 goals in the World Cup. He has also set the record for goals and assists in three editions of the World Cup.

Messi has scored 95 international goals in 170 appearances for Argentina. Modric has scored 23 international goals in 160 appearances for Croatia.

While Messi won the Copa America last year for the country, Modric is yet to win a major international title. The semi-final match will be Messi’s 1002nd game for club and country.

Messi has scored a total of 790 goals and 339 assists in his career. At the beginning, the statistics of Modric, who played for Croatian and Bosnia-Herzegovina clubs, are not available.

However, he has scored 38 goals and 65 assists in 434 games since joining Spanish club Real Madrid. Modric received the award in 2018 when Messi won the Ballon d’Or a record seven times.

Since 2007, only Messi, Ronaldo, Benzema and Modridak have won the award. Modric is ahead of the Champions League title.

While he has won the Champions League title five times, Messi has won four times. Messi and Modric are going to play against each other for the 27th time.

Messi and Modric faced each other 22 out of 27 times when they played for Barcelona and Real Madrid. In which Modric won 12 matches while Messi won 9 matches. 5 matches were tied.

Messi vs Modric: Two of the best footballers in the semi-finals