Modric shares World Cup stage with Lionel Messi in loss

LUSAIL, Qatar: Luka Modric pulled his shirt up over his face as he trudged over to the sideline.

Croatia’s red-and-white-clad fans recognized the sorrowful significance of the moment and rose up to applaud the diminutive midfielder who is probably their nation’s greatest ever player.

Argentina’s boisterous supporters soon followed suit at Lusail Stadium, honoring an opponent who is likely appearing at his last World Cup.

Substituted in the 81st minute on Tuesday, with his team trailing by three goals, it effectively marked the end of Modric’s World Cup era. Croatia ended up losing to Argentina 3-0 in the semifinals, four years after the team lost to France in the final.

Modric was somber as he was replaced by Lovro Majer before calmly taking his seat in the dugout. There was no grand gesture to the crowd or outpouring of emotion for a man whose understated brilliance can still be overlooked despite everything he has achieved.

“We just wanted to be again in the final,” Modric said, “but unfortunately we are not.”

The second most famous 37-year-old at the World Cup is going home, a few days after the other one.

Modric is the same age as former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, but as both men approach the twilight of their trophy-laden careers, the contrast is stark. That was particularly evident leading up to and during the World Cup.

While Ronaldo hogged the limelight with his explosive eve-of-the-tournament interview with Piers Morgan, Modric expressed himself on the field.

After leading Croatia to the final in Russia, he was again the inspiration as a nation with a population of about 4 million made it to semifinals for the second straight World Cup.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo, amid the distraction of his exit