Legendary Encounter: Modrić and Ronaldo Share the Pitch for the 233rd Time
Thursday night's match at Toronto Stadium may have marked the final time Luka Modrić and Cristiano Ronaldo shared the pitch, with 222 of their 233 encounters coming as teammates and 11 as opponents.
A Career Likely Coming to a Close
Following Croatia's 2-1 loss to Portugal, Modrić is widely expected to retire from international soccer, bringing an end to a storied chapter in his career. Ronaldo, who played alongside Modrić at Real Madrid from 2012 to 2018, praised his opponent after the match, which could have been their last World Cup encounter.
"I played with Luka so many years," Ronaldo said. "We’re nearly the same age. I think he’s a legend of football. He’s still a legend of football."
The two soccer legends exchanged smiles and an embrace before the match, and met on the pitch after the final whistle, sharing a hug and a few words.
A Lasting Legacy
Modrić has led Croatia to second- and third-place finishes in the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively. With both Modrić and Ronaldo in the twilight of their careers, the match carried significant weight, as both players sought to realize their dream of winning the World Cup. At 40 and 41 years old, respectively, time is running out for these two soccer legends.
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić acknowledged that this was 'probably' Modrić’s last World Cup, but added, "only God knows what will happen in the next four years. We’ll see. We’ll talk about it in Croatia."
