One legendary player who made his World Cup debut way back in 2006 will play their last game in the competition today, but who will it be? Meanwhile, Spain try to re-establish themselves among the favorites.
Dave Clark
Today's games
Spain vs. Austria
Time: 12 pm Pacific
Where: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
TV: Fox, Telemundo
Online: Fox One, Peacock
Portugal vs. Croatia
Time: 4 pm Pacific
Where: BMO Field, Toronto, ON
TV: Fox, Telemundo
Online: Fox One, Peacock
Switzerland vs. Algeria
Time: 8 pm Pacific
Where: BC Place, Vancouver, BC
TV: FS1, Telemundo
Online: Fox One, Peacock
The new issue of IV: The Sounder at Heart magazine is now available for pre-order. Issue 2 will focus on Seattle’s role in the 2026 World Cup.
What’s interesting today?
Have you heard that Cristiano Ronaldo is old? That Portugal have warped their entire, otherwise very good team, to placate a 41-year-old whose primary interest is not running and hunting cheap goals for himself?
Well today, he will meet an alt version of himself: Luka Modrić.
The Croatian midfielder is youthful in comparison, a spry 40.
Both Ronaldo and Modrić made their World Cup debuts in 2006 and have played in every World Cup their countries have qualified for since. When their countries went out in 2022, Portugal in the quarterfinals and Croatia a round later, it looked like that would mark the end of the World Cup road for both. After all, who comes back in their 40s, and for countries who have real ambitions of making deep runs at every tournament they enter?
And yet here they are, both playing on the biggest stages in sports, at least for one more day.
The roles they’ve played in this World Cup have been pretty different, though.
While Ronaldo played all 270 minutes in the group stage as he tried to keep pace with Lionel Messi’s goal scoring, Modrić was subbed out in each of Croatia’s first two matches, only going the distance in the group stage finale win over Ghana that they needed to advance. Modrić has also increased his defensive work rate, winning a crucial tackle in his own box in the last match and plugging holes even as his age has left him less mobile than he used to.
While Modrić can still hit a magical ball and the Croatia attack is still built on him dropping deep, getting early touches and shaping their progression, his game is not limited to that. He knows Croatia’s chances depend on his willingness to work all 115 yards.
Ronaldo, well, doesn’t do that.
He’s a non-entity defensively and he’s mostly a non-entity in possession too. The only thing he does is float in the box, often in an offside position, waiting for a ball to be played into a winger who can cross it to him for a tap in. Well, that and hunt headers because, despite his age, he remains a good leaper.
It’s pretty striking watching two players defying aging, but take such a different approach to the game. That’s especially true because, while Croatia are coming off the 2018 final and 2022 semis, they are the less talented team. They don’t realistically have a chance to win this World Cup, whereas Portugal do. Ronaldo’s team has one of the tournament’s best midfields, dynamite fullbacks and, if things break right, could genuinely win the tournament. That is if their striker can contribute.
Portugal are deserved favorites in this match, so it probably won’t come down to the aging superstars. It will be Vitinha, Nuno Mendes or Bruno Fernandes who makes the difference, but it will still be worth watching Ronaldo and Modrić. See what their work rate looks like and how much they are willing to give to the team, potentially at the expense of themselves. If Croatia are able to pull off the upset, it might be the difference in the old heads that does it.
France have established themselves as the clear favorites to win this World Cup, with some maybe favoring Argentina because of their much easier path to the final, but just a few weeks ago, some thought Spain might be the last team standing.
A tournament opening scoreless draw with Cabo Verde took some of the shine off the reigning European champions, and they hardly looked excellent in their 1-0 victory over Uruguay to close out the group stage, but it’d be foolish to write them off.
Spain still feature an overwhelming midfield that, crucially, can hold the ball and dictate the game to opponents. That looms especially large because they are lined up to play France in the semifinal, and Les Bleus are most vulnerable to a team that can maintain possession and put the emphasis on their defense instead of the otherworldly set of forwards at their disposal.
The problem for Spain, to this point, has been turning all that possession into chances. Lamine Yamal came off the bench against Cabo Verde as he nursed a hamstring injury, but he’s looked healthy and bright ever since. The problem has been finding him help.
Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice as Spain cruised over Saudi Arabia, but is not the type of lead-the-line striker who is going to lead the way and the wing opposite has left a lot to be desired. Alex Baena has been quiet in his appearances, Gavi was misplaced out wide when he was pushed out there and Ferran Torres hasn’t hit the ground running.
Spain are favorites to beat Austria today, even if their attack leaves something to be desired, but they are running out of time to get things clicking for when they need it later in the tournament. Maybe Baena finds another gear or Ferran adds another dimension by sliding in at striker, but the best bet might be Nico Williams’ hamstring allowing him to play more than 30 minutes.
Who will Luis de la Fuente choose, and will it pan out? It may offer a clue as to whether Spain really have a chance to beat France and win the World Cup.
Today will mark the final World Cup game in Toronto, as BMO Field steps aside after its sixth match of the tournament. The MLS stadium, which took on heavy temporary seating behind both goals to increase capacity for these matches, has been a more-than-capable host and some of the visuals from in and around the stadium have been a real treat.
It’s not revelatory to say that Toronto is a cosmopolitan city, full of people from all over the world, but it’s been wonderful to see that on a big stage. It’s also been one of the best MLS cities for nearly 20 years now, as Sounders fans know well from the 2010s.
The World Cup does a lot of things to and for host cities, some good and others bad, but one that I find particularly wonderful is when it’s able to showcase a true native soccer culture. Toronto has done that, and they will do that one last time tonight. Hopefully it looks and sounds as magnificent as the five matches that preceded it.
