Ronaldo exits final World Cup after Portugal defeat to Spain
Portugal’s last-16 loss ended Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup run, with the 41-year-old confirming the 2026 tournament was his last.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career ended Monday after Portugal lost to Spain in the round of 16 at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. The defeat matters because it closed a six-tournament run for one of football’s most prolific international players.
Ronaldo, 41, confirmed after the match that the 2026 World Cup would be his last. Al Jazeera and Reuters reported that he said, “I’m sad to be leaving the World Cup like this.”
He added that he had given everything he could, saying he was leaving “with a clear conscience.” Ronaldo did not say whether he had also played his final match for Portugal, telling reporters he would take time with his family and would not make a rushed decision, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters.
After the loss, Ronaldo looked around the stadium, appeared emotional and applauded supporters before heading to the dressing room with the captain’s armband in his hand, Al Jazeera and Reuters reported.
A record across six tournaments
Ronaldo leaves the World Cup without the trophy, but with a record few players can match. According to Al Jazeera and Reuters, he became the first player to score in six separate World Cups: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026.
That mark came during Portugal’s group-stage win over Uzbekistan, when Ronaldo scored twice in a 5-0 victory, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. His overall World Cup record for Portugal stands at 27 appearances and 11 goals.
Al Jazeera and Reuters reported that Ronaldo’s penalty against Croatia at the 2026 tournament was his first World Cup knockout-stage goal. It also made him the oldest scorer in a World Cup knockout match, at 41 years and 147 days.
Only one player has scored at a World Cup at an older age, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. Cameroon’s Roger Milla was 42 years and 39 days old when he scored against Russia in 1994.
Comparison with Messi
Ronaldo and Lionel Messi remain linked in World Cup history. Al Jazeera and Reuters reported that Ronaldo has 27 World Cup appearances, while Messi has 30 and remains active in Argentina’s title defence.
Messi extended his World Cup scoring record to 20 goals when he scored against Cape Verde in Miami last week, according to Al Jazeera. Ronaldo, Messi and Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa have each played in six World Cups, but Ronaldo is the one among the two forwards to have scored in every edition he played; Messi did not score at the 2010 tournament, Al Jazeera and Reuters reported.
Portugal also faces a change
Ronaldo had already addressed his future before the Spain match, telling reporters Sunday that he had given football all he could and still played because of passion, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. He said he loved playing for the national team and loved the game.
Al Jazeera and Reuters reported that Ronaldo is expected to make a decision on international retirement, while he is also expected to continue with Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. He recently won the league title with the club.
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez also said he would leave his post after the Spain defeat, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. Martinez called the result the end of a cycle for Portugal, praised Ronaldo as an exemplary captain and thanked him for his contribution, while declining to say more about the player’s future.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.