Luka Modric scolds Real Madrid team-mate Kylian Mbappe for ‘diving’ in Croatia’s Nations League first leg victory over France

Luka Modric and Kylian Mbappe may be club team-mates but that didn’t stop the Croatian telling the Frenchman what he thought after he seemingly attempted to win a penalty during Thursday’s Nations League clash.

Croatia were already 2-0 up through Ante Budimer and Ivan Perisic when the incident occurred in the 87th minute of the quarter-final at the Pojlud Stadium in Split.

Mbappe raced into the box and was bearing down on goal when his Los Blancos partner got a foot in to put the ball behind for a corner.

It was a clean challenge from Modric, who made very little physical contact with Mbappe, if any.

The France striker still flew to the ground, however, and the Croatia captain was not impressed one bit. 

He immediately ran towards Mbappe and shouted at him as he lay on the floor.

Mbappe walked away with a smirk while Modric continued to have words with the referee, clearly feeling Mbappe should have at least been booked. 

It was Modric who had the last laugh as his side held firm to take their 2-0 lead to Sunday’s second leg.

It also marked a continuation of a barren spell for Mbappe for his country, the 26-year-old now without a goal in his last six games for Les Blues.

Mbappe needed to cure a poisoned relationship with one of his France team-mates upon returning to the national team this week, according to a report.

The Real Madrid superstar apparently held ‘clear the air talks’ with a fellow star upon returning to the squad in the past few days.

Mbappe was left out of France’s squads for their internationals in October and November, apparently due to his ‘fitness’ the first time, but he was in the condition to play for the second.

This week he has spoken out over French reports Antoine Griezmann had retired from international duty in September following a rift between them.

But now it appears there was also a division with Mike Maignan after the goalkeeper launched into a rant after France’s 3-1 defeat by Italy in September, as per L’Equipe.

Maignan, 29, reportedly erupted into a two-minute invective as he slammed the team’s lack of commitment, with Mbappe and Griezmann stunned into silence.

L’Equipe claims that Mbappe felt personally targeted but that Maignan has now explained that he was addressing the whole squad. 

France host the second leg in Paris on Sunday. The winners of the tie will face either defending champions Spain or the Netherlands in the semi-finals in June.

France enjoyed almost two-thirds of the possession, but found Croatia tough to break down and when they did craft openings they were wasteful in front of goal.

‘We lost the first leg, we’re going to make sure we win the second at home,’ France boss Didier Deschamps told TF1. ‘Our first half was below what we were capable of. We will do everything to turn the situation around.

‘We were punished in the first half. We were far too wasteful on a technical level and gave opportunities to the opponent.’