Portugal vs Croatia: Will Ronaldo or Modric Be the First One to Pack Their Bags?

Portugal and Croatia will battle in a knockout Round of 32 fixture at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted at Toronto Stadium, Canada, on Friday morning WIB. This match brings together two global football icons: Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric.

One of the two is guaranteed to exit the tournament early after this fixture.

This meeting between Ronaldo and Modric is a reunion of two close friends who built Real Madrid's golden era together. The pair played 223 matches as teammates between 2012 and 2018, delivering 8 prestigious trophies for Los Blancos including UEFA Champions League titles.

Their close friendship has remained strong, both during their time at Real Madrid and when facing off while representing their respective national teams.

Portugal and Croatia have met 10 times across different international competitions, but Ronaldo and Modric have only gone head-to-head on three occasions.

Those prior meetings were the Euro 2016 Round of 16, plus two UEFA Nations League matches in 2020 and 2024. Portugal won all three of these fixtures.

This will be the very first time the pair face each other at a World Cup. The match carries extra significance as both Ronaldo and Modric are now over 40 years old.

Statistically, Modric has delivered the more promising form so far in this tournament. The veteran midfielder has logged 229 minutes of game time, created five goalscoring chances for teammates, and competed effectively in midfield duels.

Meanwhile, despite scoring twice during the group stage, Ronaldo's overall contribution has not stood out. The 41-year-old forward completed the full 270 minutes of group stage matches without registering a single assist.

Ronaldo's individual form does not fully reflect Portugal's overall quality. Roberto Martinez's squad entered this World Cup as one of the title favourites, and currently hold 8th place in the FIFA rankings -- above Croatia who sit at 13th.

Historically however, Croatia hold the more impressive World Cup record. Across the last two tournament editions, Vatreni finished as runners-up in 2018 before taking third place in 2022. This consistency proves Croatia remain competitive at major tournaments even when they are not considered top favourites.

That said, reviewing group stage performances showed Portugal looked far more solid than Croatia. The Selecao displayed consistent, well-balanced play with even individual quality across every line of the team.

In the end, this match is about far more than just a ticket to the Round of 16. This fixture will likely stand as the final chapter of the iconic rivalry and friendship between two of modern football's greatest legends.

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