The duel between Portugal and Croatia for a ticket to the round of 16 of the World Cup 2026 It will have a special ingredient: it will mark the World Cup farewell of one of the greatest football legends. Cristiano Ronaldo41 years old, and Luka Modric40, will meet in Toronto in a clash that guarantees that only one will remain alive in the tournament.
Both are involved in an unprecedented event by becoming the first outfield players over 40 years of age to face each other in a World Cup. Teammates for six seasons at Real Madrid, where they won four Champions Leagues, they arrive in North America with the weight of their successful careers, but also with doubts about whether they can still lead their teams.
Cristiano became the first player to score in six World Cups after scoring a double against Uzbekistan, although his continuity as a starter has been questioned by Portugal’s discreet offensive performance. Despite the criticism, coach Roberto Martínez maintains full confidence in the Portuguese captain.
Modric, for his part, has also shown signs of the passage of time, although he reached 200 games for the Croatian team and provided an assist in the victory over Ghana that secured qualification. The midfielder seeks to lead Croatia to another historic performance, after runners-up at Russia 2018 and the semi-finals at Qatar 2022.
The winner will advance to the round of 16, where they will face the winner of the match between Spain and Austria. For the defeated, on the other hand, the 2026 World Cup will put an end to one of the most brilliant careers in the history of football.
