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‘Someday I will tell my children that I faced the best player in history’: Josko Gvardiol breaks his silence after falling victim to Lionel Messi’s impressive assist in Croatia’s World Cup elimination… while claiming PSG star ‘plays different’ for Argentina
Josko Gvardiol is proud to be facing Lionel Messi despite being on the wrong end of a masterclass from the Argentinian superstar in the World Cup semi-final defeat of Croatia.
The Croatian, ranked as one of the best young defenders in the world, learned a football lesson from Messi, who produced arguably the tournament’s assist in Argentina’s 3-0 win.
Messi stopped the ball with his feet and drove down the right wing, turning his marker Gvardiol inside and out, before reaching the end line and setting up Julián Álvarez for the final goal of the game.
Lionel Messi produced one of the best World Cup assists of all time in Argentina’s victory
Messi beat Josko Gvardiol three times before handing the ball over to Julián Álvarez.
As Croatia prepare for their third-place match against Croatia, the 20-year-old RB Leipzig defender, a target for Chelsea, spoke about his experience coming up against Messi.
He said during the Croatia press conference: “It was a nice experience even though I played against him at the club last season.
He is a completely different type of player at the club and the national team.
Gvardiol said he could tell his children in the future that he played against Messi
‘I’m glad we played against him even though we lost.
‘It’s a great experience, and one day I will tell my children that I played against the best player in history. I guess we’ll beat him next time.
Gvardiol’s Croatian teammate Andrej Kramaric added: “Messi is the best player ever.”
Kramaric also had doubts about whether his teammate Luka Modric will retire from international football.
Messi gave the highly radiated defender a football lesson in Argentina’s 3-0 win against Croatia
He said: ‘We all know how many nice words were written about Luka and what he did not only for Croatia but for the whole world. Knowing him, I’m not sure this is the last.
As Croatia prepares for Morocco, Messi and Argentina prepare to play France in the World Cup final on Sunday.
Messi has admitted that this will be his last World Cup match, which means it will be his last chance to add the World Cup to his illustrious list of in-game honours.