Cristiano Ronaldo. Photo: Getty Images
On the eve of the match, the 41-year-old Portuguese legend announced that this World Cup would be the last of his career.
“Yes, this is my last World Cup. I need to enjoy it,” Ronaldo confirmed reporters’ speculation at a press conference.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has never hidden the fact that his dream is to win the World Cup with his team. And this year’s tournament, taking place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, was his last chance to make that dream come true.
A Dramatic Finale
But the Spanish also want to win the title and repeat their 2010 success. That’s why the tension was palpable from the very first minutes of the match; both teams attacked and played tight defense. The game was quite exciting and fast-paced, but it never resulted in a goal, despite several dangerous chances.
Regular time had already ended, and the match was heading toward two 15-minute extra time periods. But just then, in the 90+1st minute, the Spanish team launched a magnificent vertical attack, setting up Mikel Merino for a one-on-one with the goalkeeper. He literally beat the Portuguese goalkeeper with a shot into the near corner.
In the remaining time (the referee added 7 minutes to the second half, but the teams played all 11), the Portuguese were unable to equalize.
After the final whistle, Cristiano made no secret of his pain, disappointment, and tears. The great goal-scorer has played in a record six World Cups, appeared in 27 matches in the final tournaments, and scored 11 goals. But he never won the title.
Trump and Balogun Couldn’t Help the U.S.
In the second match of the day in the Round of 16, the U.S. and Belgium faced off. The match was mired in controversy even before kickoff. Shortly before the game, FIFA suspended the ban on U.S. forward Folarin Balogun, replacing it with a conditional suspension, which sparked a serious wave of discontent. This happened after a phone call from U.S. President Donald Trump to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Even UEFA criticized this decision. The forward did ultimately take the field, but he failed to become the hero of the match—as did the U.S. team as a whole.
The Belgians opened the scoring early in the match—Charles De Ketelaere finished off a cross from the goalmouth. The hosts equalized shortly after the water break: Malik Tillman’s free kick hit the wall, but the ball still found its way into the net off the rebound.
However, De Ketelaere scored his second goal before halftime, and in the second half, Hans Vanaken and Romelu Lukaku sealed a crushing 4–1 victory.
The United States became the last host nation of the World Cup to be eliminated from the tournament. Earlier, Canada and Mexico had also been eliminated in the Round of 16.
Legends Bid Farewell to the World Cup
Cristiano Ronaldo joined the list of legends for whom the 2026 World Cup was the last of their careers.
After Brazil’s loss to Norway, 34-year-old Neymar announced his decision to retire from the national team. “I tried to win the World Cup, I really did, but now it’s all over. This is where I started—and this is where I’ll end it,” the forward said after the elimination.
Neymar played 130 matches for the Brazilian national team, scoring 80 goals (the best tally in history) and providing 58 assists. However, he did not win any major trophies—the forward’s only titles are the 2013 Confederations Cup and the 2016 Olympic gold medal.
Thus, following Germany’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and Croatia’s midfielder Luka Modrić, the world of soccer is bidding farewell to two more legends—Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo.
