Cristiano Ronaldo sporting a customised ‘Legacy’ badge on his kit. | Photo Credit: Getty Images via AFP

Veteran stars Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Luka Modric were seen sporting a unique badge on the their kits during the opening round of FIFA World Cup 2026 matches.

The world governing body has introduced this intiative to honour the greats of the game for their contributions to the game with customised ‘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 archrival Ronaldo, 41, is aiming to win the World Cup for the first time with Portugal.

Modric, who won the 2018 Ballon d’Or after guiding Croatia to the World Cup final in 2018 and a third place finish in 2022.

Published on Jun 18, 2026