Two Great Football Icons, Modric and Ronaldo, Fight to Avoid an Early Departure from the World Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo will duel against Luka Modric in the 2026 World Cup 32-team round (Instagram/@portugal).

JAKARTA - Luka Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo are two big icons of world football. The two will face off in the 2026 World Cup 32-team round between Portugal and Croatia on Friday, July 3, 2026, morning WIB.

Both Modric and Ronaldo - aged 41 and 40 respectively - are likely to play their last World Cup. So, one of them will play the last World Cup match in the clash.

So, the duel between Portugal and Croatia is not an ordinary duel. Considering that the 2026 World Cup is the last for Ronaldo and Modric, both teams will fight to the death to extend the journey.

"Luka Modric is an example for millions of young athletes and young generations who love football. The resilience shown by him and our captain (Ronaldo) makes them icons of this sport," said Portugal coach Roberto Martinez.

"My team and I will do everything possible to help Luka continue his journey," said Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.

They have played a total of 47 games at the World Cup. Combined, they won six Ballon d'Or awards (five for Ronaldo) between 2008 and 2018. When they were teammates at Real Madrid from 2012 to 2018, they won four Champions League titles together.

Even though Portugal and Croatia will meet, tactically Modric will likely rarely duel with Ronaldo. It's Vitinha who will often meet the AC Milan player in the midfield.

Vitinha, a Paris Saint-Germain player, was seen enthusiastic about fighting against Modric to dominate the midfield.

"I had the privilege to share the locker room and daily life with Cristiano. It was really fun. I also want to spend more time with Luka Modric."

"From the little I've seen, he seems like a really nice and friendly person. However, tomorrow, one of those trips has to end. I hope it's Luka Modric's trip," said Vitinha.

Meanwhile, Roberto Martinez, is also looking forward to the fight between the two great icons of world football. According to him, age is just a number. The most important thing is the impact that these two senior players give to their respective teams.

"We're talking about players who are outside the public opinion. Their endurance in football makes them special."

"You're talking about Luka Modric, who is now over 40, who continues to play a huge amount of games and remains so important."

"The same goes for our captain. Whoever talks about age - age is just a number. What matters is what they do and the example they set in the locker room," said Roberto Martinez.

Both Ronaldo and Modric have had their moments at the 2026 World Cup, but as might be expected with their respective ages, their impact has diminished.

Ronaldo has played 270 minutes for Portugal so far and has scored two goals, but he has not created a single chance for his teammates.

Among the 38 attackers with more than 250 minutes of play, he is ranked 31st in touches (94), 32nd in ball possession (five), 34th in progressive passes (three), and 38th in duel attempts (12).

Meanwhile, Modric has played for 229 minutes and has created five chances with one assist. However, among the 103 midfielders with at least 225 minutes of playing time, he is ranked 94th in ball possession (seven) and 98th in duels (14).