Messi vs Modric, a duel that began 16 years ago and was repeated in the Argentina-Croatia semifinal of the Qatar 2022 World Cup

Whatever happens on Tuesday when they meet again in the first semi-final of the World Cup, Messi and Modric will never forget the first time they met on a pitch. For Leo it was his first goal in Argentina, in his sixth game. For Luka, debut with Croatia.

It was March 1, 2006, at the Saint Jakob Park stadium in Basel, Switzerland. Everything happened very quickly, in the 3rd minute Ivan Klasnic gave the Balkans the lead, in the 4th minute Carlos Tevez equalized and in the 6th minute Messi made it 2-1. The friendly ended in a 3-2 win for Croatia with a flurry to finish. But that was the minimum.

Leo was 18 and wore the 19 shirt, the same one he would later use at the World Cup in Germany. Luka was already 20 years old and played with number 14, the one he would repeat in June at the World Cup. For both, Messi and Modric, that was the first World Cup and in the following one they would already be the absolute masters of the number 10 shirt, even if the Croatian had to wait for Brazil 2014 since his team did not qualify for South Africa 2010.

The number, emblematic, differential, is one of the many things that define and unite them. Even today they are captains and references. If Argentina is Messi, Croatia is Modric. It’s that simple, regardless of the differences.

But let’s go back to Basel, because in that team led by José Pekerman there was another curious detail, the presence of almost all the technical staff of the current Argentina national team. Walter Samuel started, Pablo Aimar came on for Tevez in the second half and Lionel Scaloni remained on the bench.

The whims of fate seem determined to cross the lives of these two cracks who now, perhaps in their last World Cup, will meet again on another day they will not forget: next Tuesday 13th, at the Lusail stadium in Doha, to find out which of the two will play in the final of the World Cup in Qatar.

They are not at the same height, more than two centimeters of advantage that the Croatian has and that is not even noticeable. Messi is a galactic and Modric is one of the best of earthly footballers. But the two are fundamental in their selections, there is no doubt.

Leo, 35 years old, 24 caps and 10 goals in his five World Cups, leads all Argentine brands. Luka, with 37 and 17 matches (2 goals converted) in 4 World Cups, is the one with the most appearances in his team.

Another fact that unites them is what they both want to break: so far the most they have achieved at the World Cup is to be second. Messi in 2014, Modric in 2018. Both were chosen as the best players in those editions, despite not being champions. A consolation that did not reach them.

They have a lot of history in common and this Tuesday’s match will be the 27th meeting between the two. Modric leads with 12 wins, 5 draws and 9 losses. In the national team there were two crosses and both were in favor of the Croatian. That friendly played in Basel and the 3-0 victory in the group stage of the World Cup in Russia, in which Modric scored the second goal and put the team led by Jorge Sampaoli in serious difficulty.

They also starred in many club level duels. I read with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, Modric always with Real Madrid. The Croatian beats him in knockout clashes, having prevailed in the finals of the Spanish Super Cup in 2013 and 2018, in the Copa del Rey in 2014 and in the round of 16 of the Champions League in 2022.

Messi only managed to knock him out in the semi-finals of the 2019 Copa del Rey, which Barcelona then lost to Valencia.

In individual areas, obviously, Messi has a lot of advantage. He has won seven Ballon d’Ors, but the only one obtained by Modric was special, because the one obtained in 2018 ended a decade of hegemony by Leo and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Modric has won the Champions League five times with Real Madrid, Messi four times with Barcelona.

Lionel is playing his best in the World Cup, with four goals converted and strong leadership. Luka continues to lead a Croatian team that was not in anyone’s plans but did the trick by knocking out Brazil in the quarter-finals and should never be ruled out.

The last image of everyone who viralized this World Cup is very different. An unbridled Messi as always after the victory against the Netherlands and a Modric who consoles Casemiro after the victory against Brazil. The two had shone a few minutes earlier.

Maybe it’s an unequal duel, because of those who remain in Qatar, only Mbappé can compete with Messi. But as far as what they mean for their selections, the parallel is valid. The two 10s, the two captains and figures, two of the leaders of the best football continue to vibrate in Qatar.