Hyderabad: Cristiano Ronaldo‘s dream of winning the FIFA World Cup came to an emotional end after Portugal suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat to Spain in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The tightly contested match appeared destined for extra time before Spain’s Mikel Merino scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner, sending the 2010 champions into the quarter-finals and eliminating Portugal from the tournament.
Both sides created scoring opportunities throughout the match but failed to break the deadlock during regulation time. Spain finally found the breakthrough in injury time when Merino, introduced as a second-half substitute, finished a swift attacking move to seal victory.
Portugal pressed forward in search of a late equaliser, with Bernardo Silva coming close, but Spain’s defence held firm to secure a place in the last eight.
Emotional Farewell to a Legendary World Cup Career
After the final whistle, Ronaldo applauded Portugal’s supporters before leaving the field in tears, bringing the curtain down on one of the greatest World Cup careers in football history.
Speaking after the match, the 41-year-old said he was disappointed by the result but had no regrets, adding that he had given everything for his country throughout the tournament.
Ronaldo concluded his World Cup career as the first player to score in six different FIFA World Cups. Across six editions of the tournament, he made 27 appearances and scored 11 goals, including three goals during the 2026 campaign.
Although he won five Ballon d’Or awards, the UEFA Euro 2016 title, and two UEFA Nations League trophies with Portugal, the FIFA World Cup remained the only major title missing from his illustrious career. Portugal’s best World Cup finish during Ronaldo’s era came in 2006 when the team reached the semi-finals.
With the victory, Spain advanced to the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals and kept alive their hopes of lifting another world title.
Now you can get the latest stories from Indtoday on Telegram every day. Click the link to subscribe. Click to follow Indtoday’s Facebook page, Twitter, and Instagram. For all the latest Hyderabad News updates and Follow us on GoogleNews
