Luka Modric does not expect his midfield battle with Christian Eriksen to be the only talking point as Croatia take on Denmark for a place in the World Cup quarter-finals.
The pair are arguably the star attractions for both teams, Modric carrying his Real Madrid form into the World Cup for three outstanding performances for Croatia so far while Eriksen is Denmark's chief attacking threat.
Given their high profiles, and how they are Tottenham playmakers of past and present, plenty of focus has fallen on how they will get on in Nizhny Novgorod with their rivalry widely portrayed as being crucial to how Sunday's game will unfold.
Asked about Eriksen, Modric said: "I don't like to compare players, particularly to compare others with myself.
"What I can say about Eriksen is he's a fantastic player, a world-class player. He's played a fantastic season at Tottenham. He's the most important player for Denmark.
"What will decide the game will be how the teams perform as teams.
"No individual can do it on their own. Individuals can dictate certain incidents but the most important thing is how we perform as a team on the pitch."
Modric added: "Of course, this is an important game for us.
"We've played fantastically in the group stage, we must be proud of that, but this new game makes us forget all that went before and try to translate what we've already done to Sunday's game."
Croatia have not gone past the World Cup group stage since 1998, when they were semi-finalists in France and only edged out by the hosts.
"It will be a stern test for us," Modric said. "It is high time this generation cleared this obstacle. I expect us to be capable of doing that."
Additional reporting by Press Association.
