Cristiano Ronaldo offered words of comfort to his longtime friend Luka Modric after Portugal's 2-1 victory over Croatia in the World Cup, a match that signaled the likely end of Croatia's tournament run and potentially Modric's international career.
The emotional encounter on the field, captured by television cameras, followed years of camaraderie between the two players who were teammates at Real Madrid for seven seasons until 2018. While no audio was broadcast, lip-reading expert Nicola Hickling, analyzing footage for Covers.com, provided an interpretation of their conversation.
Hickling believes Modric expressed his dejection, stating, "I'm done. That cost us." Ronaldo, appearing to acknowledge their shared stage in international football, responded, "You're finished too. You're not happy." Modric affirmed his unhappiness, citing a contentious decision: "I cannot play like this... that decision." Ronaldo concluded with, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, do what is best for you."
The exchange reportedly alluded to both players' probable retirements from international football. Modric's remark about "that decision" is understood to refer to a VAR review that disallowed a late Croatian equalizer due to a barely perceptible touch, a call that significantly impacted the match's outcome.
At 41 and 40 years old respectively, both Ronaldo and Modric are widely expected to be participating in their final World Cup. While neither has officially announced their retirement from international play, Ronaldo's sister, Katia Aveiro, suggested a farewell was imminent, telling Sport TV before the match that this World Cup represented the "last dance" for her brother with the national team.
Ronaldo, who earned his 232nd international cap in the match and is the all-time men's international top scorer with 146 goals, will be 43 by the 2028 Euros and 45 for the 2030 World Cup co-hosted by Portugal. Modric, lauded as one of the greatest midfielders, has enjoyed a similarly extended career.
The bond between Ronaldo and Modric dates back to their early careers, with their paths first crossing in the 2008-09 season. Their time together at Real Madrid saw them win four Champions League titles. Despite facing each other four times internationally, Croatia has yet to secure a victory against Portugal, making Thursday night's defeat particularly poignant for Modric.
When asked about his conversation with Modric, Ronaldo stated, "I played with Luka for so many years. We are nearly the same age. I think he's a legend of football, still a legend of football. He plays very well with high quality. I just said to him, 'Luka, congratulations for everything. I love to see you again. I wish you all the best for the next years of your career.' It was nice to play against him once again."