Luka Modrić

The recent match between Portugal and Croatia marked the first time two players wearing the exclusive 2026 World Cup "Legacy Patch" - Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modrić faced each other. Huge thanks to @jerseystory_vn for the interesting spotted.

The Legacy Patch is a special honor reserved exclusively for players competing in 5 or more World Cups. Alongside Ronaldo and Modrić, other players sporting this patch at the 2026 World Cup include Lionel Messi, Manuel Neuer, Yuto Nagatomo, Guillermo Ochoa and Fernando Muslera. However, none of them had crossed paths in the tournament until now.

With Croatia’s elimination, only three "Legacy Patch" players remain in the tournament: Ronaldo, Messi, and Ochoa. This Portugal-Croatia clash might very well be the only time we see two Legacy Patches on the same field, unless Mexico or Argentina reach the semi-finals (with Ochoa taking the pitch), or face Portugal in the final.