Cristiano Ronaldo wipes away tears as Portugal exits World Cup after final appearance

Cristiano Ronaldo was overcome with emotion, shedding tears as he lingered on the field following his final World Cup appearance.

Portugal suffered a 1‑0 defeat to Spain in the Round of 16 on Monday, marking Ronaldo’s sixth World Cup tournament. The match remained deadlock until second‑half stoppage time, when substitute Mikel Merino broke through the Portuguese defense to score the winning goal.

Ronaldo, aged 41, had announced prior to the match that this would be his final World Cup appearance, though he has not specified a retirement date. He joined Lionel Messi as the second player to feature in six World Cups, and his opening goal against Uzbekistan was the first time he netted in six separate tournaments.

Regarded as one of the era’s most prolific forwards, Ronaldo has netted a record 976 goals in 1,326 appearances for club and country. Nonetheless, Portugal has consistently fallen short in each of his six World Cup campaigns.

Monday’s defeat marked the fourth occasion Portugal was eliminated in the Round of 16 during Ronaldo’s tenure. The team’s best result under his leadership remains a fourth‑place finish in 2006, his inaugural World Cup, with a quarterfinal appearance in 2022 being the most recent deep run.

His impact in knockout competition has been limited; the penalty he converted in a 2‑1 victory over Croatia during the Round of 32 was his first decisive contribution—either a goal or an assist—in such matches.

It’s time for Portugal to move on

His sole open‑play strike of the tournament came against Uzbekistan; elsewhere he was largely ineffective, with most of his chances arising in offside positions.

Ronaldo remains a national icon, yet the squad appears hampered by his advancing age and reduced efficacy. His limited pressing and perceptible slowness throughout the tournament were notable, and Portugal’s attacking threat intensified after he was substituted late against Croatia—though the sample size is small.

With Ronaldo expected to retire soon, Portugal has an opportunity to rebuild its tactical approach around a talented ensemble. While it is impossible to confirm whether he has impeded the team’s progress over the past five years, observers should be prepared for Portugal to mount strong campaigns at Euro 2028 and/or the 2030 World Cup.

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