Portugal's Silva praises idol Modric ahead of World Cup clash with Croatia

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Florida, June 30 : Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva paid a glowing tribute to Croatia captain Luka Modric on Tuesday, hailing the veteran playmaker as his footballing idol and "a huge inspiration" ahead of their World Cup last-32 showdown.

Modric, 40, continues to be the heartbeat of the Croatia side that finished runners-up in 2018 and third in 2022.

"Luka is actually an idol for me, not only because of the way he has played and remained at the highest level, but also because of the way he has conducted himself throughout his career," Silva told reporters.

"He's a huge inspiration to me and I imagine to almost every footballer. I'm really happy to see that, even at his age, he's still performing at such a high level. I've been fortunate enough to play against him many times.

"I actually asked for his shirt after one of the Manchester City-Real Madrid matches and I'm really glad I did. It's one of the most special shirts I have at home. I wish him all the best - just not in two days as we want to beat him!"

PORTUGAL ADAPTATION IS DIFFICULT

Portugal came in for criticism when they failed to top their group, finishing second behind Colombia, with Silva noting that adapting to the national team can be challenging for Portuguese players spread across different leagues.

"Most German players play in Germany and grow up with a similar football philosophy. Most Spanish players play in Spain and develop within the same style. We don't have that," Silva explained.

"Portuguese football is very different because the clubs often don't have the financial strength to keep their best players, most of us play abroad. We play in completely different leagues with very different styles of football.

"So that adaptation becomes