Cristiano Ronaldo showed his compassionate side by embracing and consoling Luka Modric after Croatia's heartbreaking World Cup elimination at the hands of Portugal. The former Real Madrid teammates, aged 41 and 40 respectively, went head-to-head in a riveting last-32 encounter on Thursday evening.
Portugal's dramatic victory
Ronaldo's Portugal secured their place in the last-16 in dramatic fashion, claiming a 2-1 victory in Toronto. Having fallen behind to Ivan Perisic's opener, the Al-Nassr star saw a goal ruled out for offside on the hour mark before finally ending his World Cup knockout goal drought from the penalty spot.
He was boldly substituted by Portugal boss Roberto Martinez late on, a decision that proved pivotal as his replacement Goncalo Ramos grabbed the 94th-minute winner. The drama didn't end there, however, as Croatia's Josko Gvardiol scored in the 103rd minute, only for his equaliser to be controversially disallowed by VAR.
Modric's devastation
Croatia's players were left utterly distraught and in tears at the final whistle. Their veteran captain Modric, who had likely just made his final World Cup appearance after 202 caps, was a picture of devastation. Yet, Ronaldo stepped up to comfort him when it mattered most, having forged a close friendship with the AC Milan star during their six trophy-laden seasons together in Spain. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner hugged Modric several times and offered some heartfelt words to his fellow Los Blancos legend.
Ronaldo's heartfelt words
Later, revealing what he told Modric in his post-match interview, Ronaldo continued to sing his praises, saying: "I played with Luka so many matches and we are nearly the same age. He is a legend of football. I said to him, 'Congratulations for everything. I would love to see you again and all the best for the next years of your career'. It was nice to play him once again."
The Premier League icons claimed four Champions League titles together, along with La Liga and Copa del Rey honours. However, Ronaldo still has his sights set on adding the one piece of silverware missing from his illustrious career - the World Cup.
What's next for Portugal
Portugal's next fixture sees them face reigning European champions Spain on Monday in Dallas, Texas, with a quarter-final spot up for grabs.
