There has been a wonderful initiative taken by the FIFA World Cup to honor the game’s greatest icons and many of the fans might have noticed the special patches on the jerseys. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi wore the “FIFA World Cup Legacy” patches on their jersey and the design was to celebrate their remarkable achievements and valuable contributions to the sport. FIFA has unveiled an array of special sleeve badges for the superstars of the game. Among these new patches, the "FIFA World Cup Legacy" badge is considered as the most special of them all. This exclusive honor is for the players who have made significant contributions to the squad and they should also have featured in multiple editions of the FIFA World Cup.

It comes as no surprise that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been honoured with such a move as they have been the pillars of the sport in this generation. It was exactly 20 years ago that both the prominent names in world football first tiptoed onto the gloried stage of the FIFA World Cup in Germany. Ever since, these two have been leading their sides in terms of goal contributions and Lionel Messi even won the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina. Cristiano Ronaldo will be hoping that the 2026 FIFA World Cup would finally be the one for him and Portugal.

FIFA introduces special patches for individuals and teams

The design of the Legacy patch is right beneath the symbol of the FIFA World Cup in their jerseys and it’s reportedly personalized for the icons. It features a stunning gold silhouette of a footballer alongside a text written, “FIFA World Cup Legacy.” It includes a highly personalized touch as each badge is customized with the specific player's name, national flag, and a distinct design. There are reports that Cristiano Ronaldo's jersey version includes an artistic work that directly resembles the signature celebration of the Portuguese star which is the world-famous “SIUU” celebration.

Apart from Messi and Ronaldo, Croatia's Luka Modric has also been awarded the badge as he has made his fifth appearance in the FIFA World Cup with his match against England. He has also been a fine player for the Croatian side as he led the side to the runners-up position in 2018. In the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Luka Modric guided Croatia to a third place finish as well in Qatar. FIFA has introduced several sleeve patches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup edition.The defending champions, Argentina has received a gleaming gold design patch on their jersey. The countries that are making their historical debut have received a specialized “Debut FIFA World Cup” emblem.

Not just for the teams but even for individuals, they have been awarded patches for their individual excellence through scorer patches for past Golden Boot winners like Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe. The patches have been awarded to goalkeepers as well and goalkeeper patches are reserved for legendary Golden Glove winners such as Emiliano Martinez and Manuel Neuer.