"If the coach lets me play in the starting line-up and I'll play in my position, then, of course, I will often come into contact with Messi. I know his level of play well, and I watched a lot of his matches. I will try to do everything to stop him," Badelj told journalists.
Croatia started the 2018 World Cup with a 2-0 win over Nigeria on Saturday. They will face Argentina in a Group D match at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Thursday.
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The 2018 FIFA World Cup kicked off on June 14 and will continue until July 15, with the matches set to be played in 11 cities across Russia.
