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Spain ended Portugal’s World Cup adventure and Cristiano Ronaldo’s career on the most gilded stage in football.
A precise finish from Mikel Merino in the first minute of stoppage time sealed a 1-0 victory after a game of few chances looked certain to be heading for extra time. Spain will face the winners of today’s game between the United States and Belgium.
Ronaldo, 41, said before this game that this would be his final World Cup and, if that is the case, it was a muted farewell for one of football’s greatest of all time. There were tears from Ronaldo as he left the field at the end of the game.
Here, The Athletic’s writers analyse the big talking points.
Where did it go wrong for Ronaldo?
The show is over.
Ronaldo’s 2026 World Cup dream ended the way it started, with serious questions around whether this was a tournament too far for a man who looked what he is: a 41-year-old trying to push back the hands of time.
He became the first player to score in six World Cups, but there’s little else that will be recalled fondly about his presence this summer. Two goals against Uzbekistan, who lost all three group matches, and a penalty against Croatia were as good as it got for Ronaldo. He was peripheral against Spain and that feels like the story of his World Cup.
Ronaldo had only 12 touches in the opening 45 minutes, nine fewer than the next-lowest player on the pitch, Spain centre-forward Mikel Oyarzabal.
Cristiano Ronaldo had a frustrating gameAric Becker/AFP via Getty Images
Naturally, that leads to a lot being made of a little inside the stadium. For example, when Joao Felix nodded Pedro Neto’s inswinging cross back across goal, and Ronaldo flicked the ball goalbound, there were gasps from the crowd. In reality, it was an easy save for Unai Simon. Positioned beyond the near post and stretching every sinew, Ronaldo failed to get enough purchase on the ball.
An earlier attempt was hit with more conviction after a stepover created half a yard of space, but the angle was always against Ronaldo.
At times, he was unable to conceal his frustration. There was a run behind the defence early in the second half but Joao Neves, much to Ronaldo’s annoyance, turned down the pass. Shortly afterwards, Ronaldo moved towards the centre of the penalty area and Joao Cancelo stood up a cross toward the back post. Later in the game, Ronaldo questioned why Pedro Neto passed him the ball, rather than carrying it upfield during a counter-attack that fizzled out. Quite simply, it didn’t work.
How did Spain break the deadlock?
This was a cagey encounter, as two of the tournament’s highest-quality teams largely cancelled each other out. Lamine Yamal struggled to weave his way into the penalty area with the ball at his feet, while Bruno Fernandes and Ronaldo struggled to find space.
The decisive goal eventually came as two substitutes linked up. It was a lapse in concentration from Portugal, who reacted slowly to a quick free kick, allowing the lively Ferran Torres to receive on the edge of the box. He controlled, spun, and slipped a lovely ball through to Merino, who made a trademark late run into the box. The finish was assured, dispatched in the near corner with the confidence of a No 9.
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