Ronaldo's Final World Cup Ends with Heartbreak Against Spain
Cristiano Ronaldo expressed solidarity with his Portugal teammates despite speculation about his international future following a heartbreaking FIFA World Cup round of 16 exit against Spain. Playing his last-ever World Cup as announced before the match, Ronaldo left the pitch in tears after a late winner from Mikel Merino and several missed chances, including from Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes, ended Portugal's campaign.
On Instagram, Ronaldo posted a picture of his team in a huddle with the caption "Portugal Sempre," meaning "Portugal Forever." He did not hint at his international future but said after the match that while it was his last World Cup, he would not take "rash decisions" about his Portugal career.
Portugal's World Cup Journey Under Ronaldo
Since Ronaldo's World Cup debut in 2006, Portugal achieved fourth place, followed by a round of 16 exit in 2010, a group stage exit in 2014, another round of 16 exit in 2018, and a quarterfinal appearance in 2022. In 2022, Lionel Messi captured the trophy for Argentina, ending the 'GOAT' debate.
Ronaldo's World Cup career ends with 27 matches (second most by a player) and 11 goals, underwhelming for his stature. In this edition, he scored three goals in five matches. However, in his final match, he recorded 17 shots without creating a single chance for teammates, the most by any player in a World Cup.
Record-Breaking Performances
In the round of 32 against Croatia, a 2-1 win, Ronaldo became the first player to feature in a World Cup knockout match at age 41 or older. The match also featured two outfield players aged 40 or above, with Ronaldo facing former Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric. Ronaldo also became the oldest goalscorer in World Cup knockout history at 41 years and 147 days, his first-ever World Cup knockout goal.
Portugal started the group stage with a 1-1 draw against DR Congo, where Ronaldo struggled. In a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan, Ronaldo scored twice, while Nuno Mendes and Rafael Leao also scored, and an own goal by Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov added to the tally. Ronaldo's brace made him Portugal's all-time World Cup scorer with 10 goals, surpassing Eusebio's record of nine. He also became the first player to score in six different World Cup tournaments, ending a 10-match goalless streak across major competitions. Portugal ended the group stage with a goalless draw against Colombia.
