Ronaldo against Modric first time in World Cup on Friday

Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric are set to make World Cup history when Portugal meet Croatia in Friday’s last-16 tie, becoming the first outfield players aged over 40 to face one another at the tournament.

The occasion adds another remarkable chapter to the careers of two of football’s most celebrated figures, who spent six successful seasons together at Real Madrid and won four UEFA Champions League titles as teammates.

Before this World Cup, only Cameroon’s Roger Milla had appeared as an outfield player after turning 40. Ronaldo, aged 41, and Modric, 40, have extended that milestone while continuing to lead their national sides on what is widely expected to be their final World Cup campaign.

Ronaldo reached another landmark during the group stage by scoring twice in Portugal’s 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan, becoming the first footballer to find the net in six different World Cups.

However, Portugal’s performances elsewhere in the group have prompted debate after draws against the Democratic Republic of Congo and Colombia left them with a more difficult route through the knockout rounds.

The veteran forward has dismissed suggestions that age has caught up with him.

“I’ve been a professional for 23 years, and whenever things don’t go well, people say Cristiano is finished or too old,” Ronaldo said earlier in the tournament.

Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez has also defended his captain’s role, insisting there are no physical or mental concerns about Ronaldo completing full matches.

Despite that backing, questions remain over whether Portugal’s attack would benefit from a different approach.

Ronaldo has started every group game, but his two goals against Uzbekistan are his only non-penalty strikes in his last 14 appearances at major international tournaments.

Some observers have pointed to Portugal’s wealth of attacking and midfield talent, with players such as Joao Neves and Bernardo Silva available, arguing the squad has enough quality to lessen its reliance on the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

A similar discussion surrounds Modric, whose influence has defined Croatia’s greatest era in international football.

The midfielder endured a difficult opening match against England, conceding a penalty before being substituted in Croatia’s 4-2 defeat.

However, he responded by helping his side recover, celebrating his 200^th international appearance in a narrow victory over Panama before setting up Nikola Vlasic’s winning goal in a 2-1 success against Ghana.

That milestone placed Modric alongside Ronaldo among the small group of players to have reached 200 international caps.

Croatia’s recent achievements owe much to Modric’s leadership. The nation of fewer than four million people reached the World Cup final in 2018 and followed that with another semi-final appearance four years later, with the midfielder central to both campaigns.

Friday’s meeting therefore carries significance beyond qualification for the quarter-finals. It could represent the final World Cup appearance for one of the modern game’s greatest players, while the winner will move a step closer to another chance at global success, with a likely last-eight meeting against Spain awaiting.

For Ronaldo and Modric, two football legends whose careers have repeatedly defied expectations, the contest offers one final opportunity to shape World Cup history before the curtain falls on their remarkable international journeys.