Cristiano Ronaldo’s quest to win the FIFA World Cup ended in heartbreak on Tuesday as Portugal suffered a dramatic 1-0 defeat to Spain in the Round of 16, bringing the legendary forward’s final appearance at football’s biggest tournament to a disappointing close.
The 41-year-old was left in tears after Mikel Merino struck deep into stoppage time in Dallas to send Spain into the quarter-finals and end Portugal’s campaign.
Ronaldo had announced before the tournament that the 2026 edition would be his last World Cup. Despite a glittering career that includes five Ballon d’Or awards, five UEFA Champions League titles, the UEFA Euro 2016 crown and a world-record 976 career goals for club and country, lifting the World Cup remained the one major honour to elude him.
The Portuguese icon also extended his unique record by scoring in six different World Cup tournaments, although Portugal’s semi-final finish in 2006 remained his closest approach to winning the title.
Speaking after the defeat, Ronaldo declined to confirm whether he would continue playing for the national team, saying he would “meet the family and take decisions with a calm head” before determining his international future.
The defeat has also reignited debate over Portugal’s reliance on the veteran forward throughout the tournament, with questions likely to persist over whether the team might have fared differently with a different tactical approach.
Elsewhere, Belgium advanced to the World Cup quarter-finals after cruising to a 4-1 victory over co-hosts the United States.
The defeat brought the United States’ campaign to an end at the Round of 16 stage, despite the Americans securing a knockout victory earlier in the tournament under the competition’s expanded format.
Forward Folarin Balogun featured for 91 minutes after FIFA suspended his one-match ban, allowing him to return for the clash against Belgium, but his presence was not enough to prevent Mauricio Pochettino’s side from exiting the competition.
Belgium will now face Spain in a highly anticipated quarter-final on July 10, while the result also means all three tournament co-hosts have been eliminated in the Round of 16.
Attention now turns to another blockbuster knockout fixture as defending champions Argentina prepare to face Egypt for a place in the World Cup quarter-finals.
