ARLINGTON, Texas: Cristiano Ronaldo’s hopes of finally winning the FIFA World Cup ended in heartbreak after Portugal suffered a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the last 16 of the 2026 tournament.
Spain substitute Mikel Merino scored the decisive goal in the 91st minute at Dallas Stadium. His late strike sent Spain into the quarter-finals and ended Portugal’s campaign before the match could reach extra time.
The result also brought an emotional end to Ronaldo’s World Cup journey. The 41-year-old captain left the tournament after confirming that he would not return for a seventh World Cup.
Portugal and Spain remained level for most of the match as both teams searched for a breakthrough.
Spain created several chances, while Portugal also threatened through Ronaldo and other attacking players. Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa made important saves as Spain increased the pressure after the interval.
However, the decisive moment arrived in stoppage time.
Merino, who had entered the match as a substitute only minutes earlier, helped start the attacking move before moving into space near the edge of the penalty area. Ferran Torres then found him, and Merino finished into the bottom corner.
Portugal nearly equalised in the closing moments, but Bernardo Silva headed over the crossbar in the 97th minute. Spain held on to secure a dramatic 1-0 victory.
Ronaldo confirmed that the 2026 tournament was his final World Cup. However, he stopped short of immediately announcing his retirement from international football.
After the defeat, he said he would take time to reflect and spend time with his family before making any sudden decision about his future with Portugal.
The defeat marked the end of an extraordinary World Cup career that began in 2006.
Ronaldo made history during the 2026 tournament by becoming the first male player to score at six different FIFA World Cups. He achieved the record after scoring against Uzbekistan, according to FIFA.
He later scored against Croatia in the knockout stage. FIFA reported that the strike was his third goal of the 2026 tournament.
Despite winning major honours throughout his career, including five Ballon d’Or awards, Ronaldo never lifted the FIFA World Cup.
Portugal’s strongest World Cup campaign during his international career came in 2006, when the team reached the semi-finals and ultimately finished fourth.
His World Cup career nevertheless ended with another historic record. FIFA has confirmed that Ronaldo is the only male player to score across six editions of the tournament.
Reuters reported that Ronaldo finished his World Cup career with 27 appearances and 11 goals across the tournament’s history.
Ronaldo’s place in Portugal’s starting lineup had also attracted criticism during the tournament.
Before the knockout rounds, Reuters reported that criticism had grown over his contribution in matches, including questions about his limited defensive work. Coach Roberto Martinez continued to defend his selection decisions and maintained that Ronaldo should be judged on form rather than age or reputation.
The debate intensified after Martinez substituted Ronaldo during Portugal’s round-of-32 victory over Croatia. Gonçalo Ramos later scored the winning goal in stoppage time, adding further attention to Portugal’s attacking options.
Still, Martinez repeatedly praised Ronaldo’s leadership, professionalism and influence on younger players.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez also confirmed his departure after the defeat to Spain.
Martinez said his contract had expired and described Portugal’s elimination as the end of a cycle. He added that he had taken the job with the goal of winning the World Cup and saw no reason to continue after failing to achieve that objective.
The outgoing coach also paid tribute to Ronaldo, calling him an exemplary captain and praising his daily commitment to football.
For Ronaldo, the 1-0 defeat ended a World Cup journey spanning two decades. Although the game’s biggest international trophy remained out of reach, his six-tournament scoring record secured another place in football history.