NEW DELHI: Cristiano Ronaldo shared an emotional message after Portugal’s FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign came to an end with a heartbreaking Round of 16 defeat to Spain.The Portuguese captain had already announced before the Spain match that this would be his final FIFA World Cup. Portugal suffered a late 2-1 defeat after Mikel Merino scored the winner. Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes both missed chances as Portugal’s dream of lifting the trophy came to an end. The 41-year-old left the field in tears after what turned out to be his last World Cup match.
Ronaldo’s emotional message
After the defeat, Ronaldo posted a picture of the Portugal team in a huddle on Instagram with a simple two-word message: “Portugal Sempre”, which translates to “Portugal Forever”.Despite confirming that this was his last World Cup, Ronaldo did not reveal whether he would retire from international football. Speaking after the match, he said he would not take any “rash decisions” about his future with Portugal.
A World Cup journey comes to an end
Ronaldo’s World Cup journey began in 2006, when Portugal finished fourth. The team reached the Round of 16 in 2010, exited in the group stage in 2014, and suffered another Round of 16 exit in 2018. In 2022, Portugal reached the quarterfinals before being knocked out. That tournament also saw Lionel Messi lead Argentina to the title.Ronaldo finishes his FIFA World Cup career with 27 matches, the second-highest by any player, and 11 goals. He scored three goals in five matches during the 2026 edition but was unable to guide Portugal beyond the Round of 16.His final World Cup also ended with an unwanted record. Ronaldo attempted 17 shots during the tournament without creating a single chance for a teammate, the most by any player in a FIFA World Cup.
Ronaldo’s records in his final World Cup
The tournament, jointly hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico, also saw Ronaldo add more milestones to his remarkable career.In Portugal’s 2-1 Round of 32 win over Croatia, Ronaldo became the first player in history to appear in a FIFA World Cup knockout match at the age of 41 or older. The match also featured another veteran, Luka Modric, making it the first World Cup game with two outfield players aged 40 or above.Ronaldo also became the oldest goalscorer in World Cup knockout history at 41 years and 147 days. It was also his first-ever goal in a World Cup knockout match.
How Portugal’s campaign unfolded
Portugal opened their campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw against DR Congo, with Ronaldo struggling to make an impact.He bounced back in style against Uzbekistan, scoring twice in Portugal’s 5-0 victory. Nuno Mendes and Rafael Leao were also on target, while an own goal by Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov completed the scoring.The two goals helped Ronaldo become Portugal’s all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history with 10 goals, moving past Eusebio’s tally of nine. He also became the first player to score in six different FIFA World Cup tournaments, ending a 10-match goal drought in major international competitions.Portugal finished the group stage with a goalless draw against Colombia before defeating Croatia in the Round of 32. However, their campaign ended in the next round with the painful defeat to Spain, bringing Ronaldo’s World Cup journey to a close.
