Veteran stars Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Luka Modric were seen sporting unique badges on their kits during the opening round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches.
The world governing body introduced this initiative to honor the game’s greats for their contributions to the game with custom ‘Legacy’ badges on the sleeve of their shirts.
Both Messi and Ronaldo, eight- and five-time Ballon d’Or winners respectively, became the first players to play in a sixth World Cup this summer.
Messi also led Argentina to a World Cup title in 2022. His arch-rival Ronaldo, 41, aims to win the World Cup for the first time with Portugal.
Modric, who won the 2018 Ballon d’Or after leading Croatia to the World Cup final in 2018 and a third-place finish in 2022.
Published on June 18, 2026
