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What is the story about?
Cristiano Ronaldo's sixth and final World Cup ended in tears on Monday. Spain beat Portugal 1-0 in the Round of 16 in Arlington, Texas. Substitute Mikel Merino scored the only goal in the first minute of stoppage time.
Ronaldo is 41. He had already said before the tournament that this would be his last World Cup.
The match stayed goalless through 90 minutes. Neither side took big risks. Then, in stoppage time, Fabián Ruiz found substitute Ferran Torres, who slipped the ball through to fellow substitute Merino. Merino beat goalkeeper Diogo Costa with a low finish to make it 1-0.
Portugal pushed for an equaliser after the goal. Substitute Bernardo Silva headed narrowly over the bar and won a free kick deep in stoppage time, but nothing came of it. The final whistle confirmed Portugal's elimination and Spain's place in the quarterfinals, where they will face the winner of the USA-Belgium match.
Ronaldo's Night: Three Shots, Two On Target, No Goal
Ronaldo had three attempts on goal. Two were on target. Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón saved both. On one attempt, Simón was still in the air when he reached back with both hands to catch the ball. On another, Ronaldo attempted a backward kick after a header from teammate João Félix bounced off Simón's shoulder.
Portugal had 10 shots in total but managed only two on target, both from Ronaldo. Spain had more of the ball and more of the game, according to match statistics, but struggled to create clear chances until the winning goal.
Ronaldo Breaks Down, Then Speaks With A 'Clear Conscience'
As the final whistle sounded, Ronaldo stood still for a moment before the emotion took over. He was seen in tears on the pitch. He later spoke to reporters with a calmer expression, briefly shielding his eyes with his hand.
"Sad — it's normal after being eliminated like this," Ronaldo said.
"I've given everything, I've given my best, and I leave with a clear conscience," he said. "This is soccer, this is life for a soccer player. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose."
Before the match, Ronaldo had said he hoped it would not be his last game and wanted to enjoy the tournament fully. Afterwards, he confirmed this was indeed his final World Cup, though he has not said whether he will retire from international football altogether.
"Yes, it was my last World Cup, but everything else I'll have time to think about, to be with my family, and not make any decision hot-headed and move on with life," he said.
Martinez Hails Ronaldo As 'A Football Icon'
Portugal coach Roberto Martínez praised his captain after the match.
"He is an example, a role model to follow. This is somebody that we need to celebrate. We're talking about a football icon," Martínez said. "There aren't too many Cristiano Ronaldos out there. I think we need to thank him. His dream was to win the World Cup, and he did this as an amazing example in the locker room."
Ronaldo became the first player in history to score at six different World Cups when he scored twice against Uzbekistan in the group stage. He added a penalty against Croatia in the Round of 32, taking his career World Cup tally to 11 goals across 27 appearances. That is tied for ninth on the all-time list and stands as Portugal's World Cup scoring record, ahead of Eusébio's previous mark of nine.
Ronaldo remains the record holder for most goals in men's international football, with 146 goals in 233 appearances for Portugal. His deepest World Cup run came in his 2006 debut, when Portugal reached the semifinals.
Eight years ago, at age 33, Ronaldo scored a World Cup hat-trick against Spain, then the oldest hat-trick in World Cup history. That record was broken this year by Lionel Messi, who scored a hat-trick for Argentina against Algeria at age 38 in a 3-0 win on June 16. Ronaldo's 2018 hat-trick came in a 3-3 draw with Spain, a group-stage match widely considered one of the best in World Cup history, though neither team advanced from that group that year.
The Trophy That Got Away
Ronaldo played at six World Cups across two decades: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026. The World Cup remains the one major trophy missing from his career. With Portugal, he did win the 2016 European Championship and Nations League titles in 2019 and 2025 — the country's first-ever major international trophies.
Speaking on the eve of the Spain match, Ronaldo addressed his legacy directly.
"I am not going to be more Cristiano Ronaldo or less because I win the World Cup," he said.
From Madeira To A Billion Followers
Ronaldo grew up in a working-class family on the Portuguese island of Madeira. He began his career at Sporting Lisbon before moving to Manchester United, where he won the Champions League. He later starred for Real Madrid, winning the Champions League four more times, before playing for Juventus, returning briefly to Manchester United, and joining Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, where he now plays. He has won five Ballon d'Or awards.
Off the pitch, Ronaldo is the most-followed individual on Instagram, with around 672 million followers as of July 2026. In recent years, as his pace has declined, he has shifted from a wide attacking role to a more central striker position, a move that has drawn some criticism in Portugal about how long his international career has been extended. Martínez made two substitutions late in the match against Spain but kept Ronaldo on the pitch until the end.
Ronaldo is 41. He had already said before the tournament that this would be his last World Cup.
The match stayed goalless through 90 minutes. Neither side took big risks. Then, in stoppage time, Fabián Ruiz found substitute Ferran Torres, who slipped the ball through to fellow substitute Merino. Merino beat goalkeeper Diogo Costa with a low finish to make it 1-0.
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Cristiano Ronaldo: “I didn't cry because I thought I let Portugal or my family down. I cried because I put immense pressure on myself. I scored the last 27 penalties, then to miss this one, I felt that I let myself down.”
VIDEO ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/swA80p4aGw
— Culers Pro (@CulersPro) July 6, 2026
Portugal pushed for an equaliser after the goal. Substitute Bernardo Silva headed narrowly over the bar and won a free kick deep in stoppage time, but nothing came of it. The final whistle confirmed Portugal's elimination and Spain's place in the quarterfinals, where they will face the winner of the USA-Belgium match.
Ronaldo's Night: Three Shots, Two On Target, No Goal
Ronaldo had three attempts on goal. Two were on target. Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón saved both. On one attempt, Simón was still in the air when he reached back with both hands to catch the ball. On another, Ronaldo attempted a backward kick after a header from teammate João Félix bounced off Simón's shoulder.
Portugal had 10 shots in total but managed only two on target, both from Ronaldo. Spain had more of the ball and more of the game, according to match statistics, but struggled to create clear chances until the winning goal.
Ronaldo Breaks Down, Then Speaks With A 'Clear Conscience'
As the final whistle sounded, Ronaldo stood still for a moment before the emotion took over. He was seen in tears on the pitch. He later spoke to reporters with a calmer expression, briefly shielding his eyes with his hand.
"Sad — it's normal after being eliminated like this," Ronaldo said.
"I've given everything, I've given my best, and I leave with a clear conscience," he said. "This is soccer, this is life for a soccer player. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose."
Before the match, Ronaldo had said he hoped it would not be his last game and wanted to enjoy the tournament fully. Afterwards, he confirmed this was indeed his final World Cup, though he has not said whether he will retire from international football altogether.
"Yes, it was my last World Cup, but everything else I'll have time to think about, to be with my family, and not make any decision hot-headed and move on with life," he said.
Martinez Hails Ronaldo As 'A Football Icon'
Portugal coach Roberto Martínez praised his captain after the match.
"He is an example, a role model to follow. This is somebody that we need to celebrate. We're talking about a football icon," Martínez said. "There aren't too many Cristiano Ronaldos out there. I think we need to thank him. His dream was to win the World Cup, and he did this as an amazing example in the locker room."
Ronaldo became the first player in history to score at six different World Cups when he scored twice against Uzbekistan in the group stage. He added a penalty against Croatia in the Round of 32, taking his career World Cup tally to 11 goals across 27 appearances. That is tied for ninth on the all-time list and stands as Portugal's World Cup scoring record, ahead of Eusébio's previous mark of nine.
Ronaldo remains the record holder for most goals in men's international football, with 146 goals in 233 appearances for Portugal. His deepest World Cup run came in his 2006 debut, when Portugal reached the semifinals.
Eight years ago, at age 33, Ronaldo scored a World Cup hat-trick against Spain, then the oldest hat-trick in World Cup history. That record was broken this year by Lionel Messi, who scored a hat-trick for Argentina against Algeria at age 38 in a 3-0 win on June 16. Ronaldo's 2018 hat-trick came in a 3-3 draw with Spain, a group-stage match widely considered one of the best in World Cup history, though neither team advanced from that group that year.
The Trophy That Got Away
Ronaldo played at six World Cups across two decades: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026. The World Cup remains the one major trophy missing from his career. With Portugal, he did win the 2016 European Championship and Nations League titles in 2019 and 2025 — the country's first-ever major international trophies.
Speaking on the eve of the Spain match, Ronaldo addressed his legacy directly.
"I am not going to be more Cristiano Ronaldo or less because I win the World Cup," he said.
From Madeira To A Billion Followers
Ronaldo grew up in a working-class family on the Portuguese island of Madeira. He began his career at Sporting Lisbon before moving to Manchester United, where he won the Champions League. He later starred for Real Madrid, winning the Champions League four more times, before playing for Juventus, returning briefly to Manchester United, and joining Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, where he now plays. He has won five Ballon d'Or awards.
Off the pitch, Ronaldo is the most-followed individual on Instagram, with around 672 million followers as of July 2026. In recent years, as his pace has declined, he has shifted from a wide attacking role to a more central striker position, a move that has drawn some criticism in Portugal about how long his international career has been extended. Martínez made two substitutions late in the match against Spain but kept Ronaldo on the pitch until the end.
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