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Lionel Messi is reportedly keen to play alongside former Real Madrid rival Luka Modric at Inter Miami. The Los Blancos superstar captain could be on his way out with his contract expiring this summer.
Lionel Messi and Luka Modric have faced each other in 27 games for club and country. The Croatian has won 12 times, lost 10 times, and five games were draws. 22 games out of these were El Clásicos while Messi was still at Barcelona. They notably clashed against each other in two World Cups in 2018 and 2022. In 2018, Modric's Croatia beat Messi's Argentina 3-0 in the group stage. In 2022, they met in the semi-final, with Argentina winning 3-0. La Albiceleste went on to win the title that year.
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According to a report by Fichajes.net (h/t Football Transfers), Lionel Messi is keen on playing alongside Luka Modric at Inter Miami. The Real Madrid superstar has seen a decrease in minutes for himself, having played 2,451 minutes in 50 outings across competitions.
The Croatian superstar could be leaving the club this summer, owing to his age, with the MLS being considered a viable destination, per the report. David Beckham is reportedly also keen on welcoming Modric to the MLS if he decides to join Inter Miami. The presence of another Ballon d'Or winner in the team could help establish the Herons further in the league.
Luka Modric, however, has previously expressed his desire to retire as a Real Madrid player. Qatari outfits are also reportedly interested in signing him if he chooses to continue his career elsewhere.
When Real Madrid captain Luka Modric called Inter Miami ace Lionel Messi the "best player in history"
In an interview with reporters after Croatia's 3-0 loss to Argentina in the 2022 World Cup semi-final, Luka Modric hoped for Lionel Messi to win the title. He also called him the "best player in history" and said (via SPORTBible):
"I hope he will win this World Cup, he is the best player in history and he deserves it. He is playing a great World Cup, he shows quality and greatness in every game."
Modric's declaration came despite him having been teammates with Messi's archrival, Cristiano Ronaldo, at Real Madrid between 2012 and 2018. The two have shared the pitch for 222 games, having 16 joint-goal contributions.
If Luka Modric leaves the Bernabeu this summer, Inter Miami could be one of the possible destinations for him. His experience could add more depth to Inter Miami's midfield, alongside adding more creativity to the gameplay.
It will also add more value to the MLS, after Lionel Messi's former teammates Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets also switched to sign for the club.
