Portugal suffers historic collapse after heartbreaking loss to Spain
Cristiano Ronaldo (Photo: x.com/selecaoportugal)
Cristiano Ronaldo's American World Cup ended in the most painful way possible. Portugal were knocked out in the first round of the knockout stage after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Spain. The match officially marked the 41-year-old captain's final FIFA World Cup appearance, and he could not hold back his emotions on the pitch in Dallas, according to ESPN.
Last-minute heartbreak leaves Ronaldo in tears
Ronaldo started the match, played the full 90 minutes, and came close to scoring in the first half. In the 37th minute, he pounced on a rebound, but Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón produced a superb save to deny him from close range.
The evenly contested match was decided in the first minute of stoppage time. Mikel Merino scored in the 90+1st minute, sending Spain into the quarterfinals and ending Portugal's campaign.
After the final whistle, Ronaldo spent several minutes applauding the fans before breaking down in tears on his way to the dressing room as television cameras captured the emotional moment. Before the match, he had openly confirmed that this would be his final World Cup.
"I'm sad to leave the World Cup this way. I gave it my all, and I leave with a clear conscience. That's the life of a footballer. You have to move forward," said Ronaldo.
"There's time to think, to be with my family, and not say things in the heat of the moment," he added.
Ronaldo will not feature at the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Portugal will co-host with Spain and Morocco, as he will be 45 years old by then.
He finishes his World Cup career with a record six tournament appearances (from 2006 to 2026), 27 matches, and 11 goals. Three of those came at this year's tournament, including a brace against Uzbekistan in a 5-0 victory and a penalty in a 2-1 win over Croatia.
His best World Cup result remains Portugal's run to the semifinals in 2006.
Roberto Martínez also steps down as Portugal coach
Portugal will also be moving on from their head coach. Spanish manager Roberto Martínez announced immediately after the defeat that he would not renew his contract, which expires today.
Martínez had been in charge of Portugal since the beginning of 2023, winning 32 of his 45 matches and leading the team to the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League title. However, he said that failing to win the World Cup convinced him it was time to step aside.
"It’s the end of the cycle. It’s important to have a new voice, a new leader. I take with me the memories, and hope that Portugal has good memories of the three and a half years I was head coach of the team. It was the experience of my life," Martínez told The Athletic.
A refreshed Portugal squad will begin its next campaign in the UEFA Nations League this September, where it will face Norway, Denmark, and Wales. It will do so without Martínez on the bench and with Ronaldo no longer part of the team's plans for the next World Cup.
