Cristiano Ronaldo’s quest to win the FIFA World Cup came to an end as Portugal suffered a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the Round of 16, likely marking the final World Cup appearance of the 41-year-old legend.
Ronaldo struggled to make an impact throughout the match and left the pitch alone at full-time, visibly emotional after seeing his lifelong dream slip away.
“That’s football. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and you have to move on.”
The Portugal captain said he leaves the World Cup “with a clear conscience”, adding that winning UEFA Euro 2016 with Portugal remains just as meaningful to him as lifting the World Cup trophy.
Despite scoring three goals at the 2026 tournament—including a brace against Uzbekistan and a penalty against Croatia—Ronaldo was unable to inspire Portugal past Spain.
One of football’s greatest-ever players, Ronaldo ends his World Cup journey without the one major honour missing from his remarkable career, which includes five Ballon d’Or awards, multiple UEFA Champions League titles and Portugal’s historic Euro 2016 triumph.
Whether this also marks the end of his international career remains uncertain, with Ronaldo saying he will now take time to decide what comes next.
