DOHA, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic singled out Luka Modric for praise after his team reached the World Cup semifinals with a penalty shootout victory over Brazil on Friday.
Modric, 37, participated in the build-up to Bruno Petkovic's 116th-minute equalizer before converting one of Croatia's four penalty kicks in the shootout.
"The way he plays is unbelievable," Dalic said. "He's not tired and he didn't fall away when the game went to extra time. It's the second-time in four days that he's played in a match that has gone beyond 90 minutes. It shows that is one of the best players in the world."
Dalic said Modric had proven many doubters wrong with his age-defying performances in Qatar.
He added: "I believe the recipe for success is his seriousness and his professionalism. He is a gentleman and he is impeccable in training. He always tries his best and he lives for football.
"At 37, he's shown his quality for Real Madrid and for his country. When we came to the World Cup, some people wrote him off. But he's helped us to the semifinals and he deserves all of the success that he is having."
