Rakitic: Modric is from a 'different planet'

BeSoccer 7 years ago |

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Rakitic and Modric are midfield partners for Croatia. AFP

Luka Modric may be his rival when it comes to club football, but he's a teammate on the international stage, and Ivan Rakitic couldn't rate the midfielder any more highly.

Modric and Rakitic both play in the Spanish league, on different sides of the Madrid-Barcelona rivalry, but there is nothing but respect between the pair, who are out in Russia on the hunt for international glory. Rakitic has played alongside Spanish veteran Andres Iniesta for years at Barca, but for him Modric is on a similar level to the legendary midfielder.

"Both of them are among the best players ever in their positions," Raktic said of Iniesta and Modric. "It seems like both of them are from different planets and they came to play football with us mortals here."

His time with Iniesta is over, after the Spaniard moved away to Japan, but Rakitic will be hoping he can spend as much time as possible with Modric by progressing through the rounds at the World Cup.

"It has been a great honour to play with Andres in the last four years at Barcelona, and with Luka for the last 11 years for Croatia," he continued. "If I created a football team, I would have both of them in my team. Andres is one of my best friends and I see Luka as my big brother."

It has been said that Modric could be the greatest ever Croatian player, with former Barcelona and Real Madrid player Robert Prosinecki supporting this idea. Rakitic is in agreement.

"I would agree completely," he said, when asked about Prosinecki's opinion. "Not only that Luka is the best player, but he is a great person, a leader and we are following him. I am sure he can feel our confidence in him."

Croatia take on Denmark on Sunday, with the chance of progressing to the quarter-finals in Russia.