Cristiano Ronaldo praised his former teammate Luka Modric, emphasizing his great respect for his career and what he has given to football, following Portugal's victory over Croatia in an exciting World Cup match.
Portugal came from a goal down to win 2-1 against their Croatian counterparts, in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup.
Ronaldo said in statements following the match: "Yes, I said goodbye to him. He is a legend in the world of football, and he still is. We are close in age, I am one year older than him. I have great respect for Modric for what he has given to the world of football and what he still gives."
The Portuguese captain added: "I played with Modric for many years, and it's great to see him still playing at the highest levels. I told him: Congratulations Luka, and good luck in your future career."
Regarding the special atmosphere surrounding the match, Ronaldo indicated that the team played with great morale to honor their late teammate Diogo Jota.
He said in this regard: "It's a special day, as you know, Jota is there lighting our way, it's a special moment. We all felt his presence with us, and it was logical for us to win today to honor him in the best possible way."
With this victory, Portugal set up a meeting with Spain in the Round of 16 of the tournament.
