Amorim marvels at Modric masterclass as Musah's surprise start steals pre-match headlines

Ruben Amorim could not hide his admiration — or his astonishment — as he reflected on a World Cup night that flipped the script on two midfielders at opposite ends of their careers. As reported by Football Italia, the Portuguese coach conceded that few observers expected Yunus Musah to be named in the starting XI, let alone deliver one of the most composed performances of his young international career on the game's grandest stage. The midfielder, who has often found consistent minutes elusive at club level, grasped his opportunity with both hands, driving the United States forward with relentless energy and intelligence. Yet while Musah's inclusion raised eyebrows before kickoff, it was a 40-year-old maestro who ultimately dictated the story. 'Who would've thought Musah would start and Modric would be the problem?' Amorim remarked, capturing the paradox of the evening in a single sentence. Modric, the Ballon d'Or winner and Croatia's eternal captain, continues to defy every law of footballing gravity. At an age when most midfielders have long since traded boots for a seat in the commentary booth, the veteran controlled tempo with metronomic passing, drifted between the lines unchecked, and turned defence into attack with touches that seemed to slow time itself. According to Football Italia, Amorim spoke at length about Modric's enduring brilliance, describing how the playmaker's positioning and awareness rendered him virtually impossible to press. Every time Musah and his teammates shut one door, Modric had already glided through another. For the American midfield, chasing the Croatian legend became a masterclass they never asked to attend. For all of Croatia's control, Musah's display offered a genuine silver lining for the tournament hosts. Tasked with disrupting Modric's rhythm, the young midfielder covered enormous ground, snapped into tackles, and demonstrated a maturity that suggests his international career is ready to accelerate. What began as a selection gamble may well have been a coming-of-age moment. The night, in the end, belonged to experience — proof that class, in Modric's case, is truly permanent. But youth served its notice too, and Amorim's stunned summation may best be remembered as the moment two generations of midfield craft collided on the World Cup stage. As the tournament unfolds, both storylines — Modric's farewell defiance and Musah's emerging promise — promise to shape the weeks ahead.