02 July,2026 08:15 AM IST | Atlanta | AFP
Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric. Pics/AFP
Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric will make history when two outfield players aged over 40 face off for the first time in a World Cup as Portugal take on Croatia in Friday's last-32 clash.
But both men are facing questions over whether their status as national heroes is now more of a burden than a boost to their countries' hopes of progressing far in the competition.
Prior to this tournament, only Cameroon's Roger Milla had played in a World Cup as an outfield player after turning 40.
Ronaldo and Modric, who won four Champions Leagues in six seasons together at Real Madrid, have long defied father time but have shown their age in what will almost certainly be their final flourish on the global stage.
At 41, Ronaldo defiantly screamed "I'm back" after netting twice against Uzbekistan. Yet either side of a 5-0 romp over a team ranked 60th in the world, Portugal failed to beat the Democratic Republic of Congo and Colombia.
Modric, 40, similarly showed his age in Croatia's tournament opener, which ended in a 4-2 defeat to England in Dallas.
Caught on his heels, Modric conceded a penalty when chopping down Noni Madueke for England's opening goal and was sacrificed by Zlatko Dalic before the hour mark.
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