LONDON: England midfielder Mason Mount is relishing the possibility of another head-to-head battle with Croatia鈥檚 Luka Modric in Sunday鈥檚 Euro 2020 clash after taking the spoils in his first encounter with his boyhood idol.
Mount鈥檚 influential display played a key role in Chelsea鈥檚 Champions League semifinal victory against Modric鈥檚 Real Madrid this season.
The Chelsea star grew up in awe of Modric鈥檚 graceful performances for Tottenham, Real and Croatia so had to pinch himself when Modric asked for his shirt after Chelsea鈥檚 2-0 second-leg triumph at Stamford Bridge.
But his admiration for the 35-year-old will be put on hold at Wembley this weekend when England kicks off their Euro campaign.
鈥淗e has always been a player that I have looked up to,鈥� Mount said on Friday. 鈥淓ver since he has been in the Premier League with Tottenham, I have watched him quite closely.
鈥淧laying against him, it was weird because I had watched him so much, I kind of knew his moves and what he was going to do.
鈥淚t helps being a fan of a player and then playing against him because you know what he likes to do.
鈥淭he experience of playing against him helps because you want to be in these big games and learn how to handle the pressure and big moments.鈥�
Mount took home Modric鈥檚 shirt after the first leg in Madrid, with the 2018 Ballon d鈥橭r winner then requesting his jersey in the return meeting.
鈥淚 spoke to (Mateo) Kovacic before the first game and asked if I could get his shirt at a later date,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 managed to do that and he asked for mine in the second game because I didn鈥檛 actually give him mine in the first.
鈥淜ovacic said he likes to swap with players so he came up and said he wanted mine, just said 鈥榞ood luck in the upcoming games鈥�.鈥�
On current form, Mount is a strong contender for a place in Gareth Southgate鈥檚 starting line-up to face Croatia in a rematch of the 2018 World Cup semifinal won by Modric鈥檚 men.
Having provided the pinpoint pass that led to Kai Havertz鈥檚 winner in Chelsea鈥檚 Champions League final victory against Manchester City, Mount鈥檚 confidence is high.
The 22-year-old would love to help England achieve their own historic triumph in the Covid-delayed European Championship.
鈥淥bviously knowing the history, we鈥檝e never won a Euros before, so, for us, we鈥檙e a team that鈥檚 very hungry to want to do that,鈥� Mount said.
鈥淲e want to create history that no-one has ever done before and I feel like with this group, with this young group, we can definitely do that and we know what we can do.鈥�