The final chord for Cristiano Ronaldo: Portugal bids farewell to the 2026 World Cup

For Cristiano Ronaldo, a living legend of the football world, the history of World Cups has come to an unexpected and painful end. In the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, Portugal lost 0-1 to Spain in the Pyrenean derby and was eliminated from the tournament. This match, held in Dallas, went down in history not only as the team's defeat but as the end of an entire era. This is reported by Goal.com .

The first half began with cautious but dangerous attacks from both sides. According to Goal.com, Joao Cancelo and Mikel Oyarzabal missed favorable opportunities in the opening minutes. Cristiano Ronaldo tried to show his usual activity, but Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simon managed to save his shots. Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa also saved his team from an inevitable goal by stopping consecutive shots from Lamine Yamal and Alex Baena in the first half.

Just before halftime, Portugal was very close to opening the scoring. A powerful shot by Nuno Mendes deflected off a defender and went over the crossbar. Also, combinations involving Joao Felix and Cristiano Ronaldo were not enough to break through the Spanish defensive wall. The teams went to the break with a goalless draw.

The decisive blow and the final minutes

The second half was much more cautious and dull. Both teams avoided taking risks and focused more on defense. Bruno Fernandes' inaccurate shots and Lamine Yamal's free kick did not pose serious problems for the goalkeepers. However, the final minutes of the game turned into a real tragedy for Portugal.

In stoppage time, substitute Mikel Merino found the target after a delicate pass from Ferran Torres, beating Diogo Costa. This goal dashed all of Portugal's hopes. Near the end of the match, Bernardo Silva could have equalized, but his header hit the top of the net.

This defeat marked the final appearance on the World Cup stage for 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo. The striker, who set many records during his career, had to finish his last World Cup without a medal or a goal. This result is considered a major failure for Portugal, as the team was considered one of the tournament favorites.

Spain, meanwhile, secured a spot in the quarterfinals after this victory. Luis de la Fuente's men eliminated their neighbors thanks to disciplined play and determination in the final minutes. A new era is now expected to begin in Portuguese football, as many of the team's leaders, including Ronaldo, may decide to end their international careers.