Cristiano Ronaldo (41) and Luka Modric (40) play against each other as Portugal meet Croatia in the World Cup Round of 32 in Toronto. Multiple outlets highlight that, for the first time in World Cup history, two outfield players aged over 40 face off in a match. The tie is framed as a high-stakes knockout clash, where the winner advances while the loser’s World Cup campaign ends.
Ronaldo and Modric are described as long-time elite attackers and midfield operators who have also shared history at club level. One report notes they were teammates at Real Madrid between 2012 and 2018, when the pair helped the club win major European and international trophies. Both players are also portrayed as key figures for their national teams: Ronaldo is presented as continuing to lead Portugal in attack, while Modric is presented as orchestrating Croatia’s midfield.
Portugal enter the knockout stage as runners-up in Group K, and Croatia advance as runners-up in Group L, according to one outlet, setting up a marquee Round of 32 meeting.
