Portugal's legendary soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, is not expected to return to the FIFA World Cup after Portugal was eliminated by Spain, 1-0, in the 2026 edition of the competition. The match took place on Tuesday, July 7, 2026 (Philippine time) in Arlington, Texas.
Spain Advances to Quarter-Finals
Substitute player Mikel Merino scored in the first minute of the second half to give Spain a 1-0 victory over Portugal in the Round of 16. This is the first time Spain has reached the quarter-finals since winning their only World Cup title in 2010.
End of an Era for Ronaldo
It is widely believed that this was the final World Cup match for Cristiano Ronaldo, who is 41 years old. Ronaldo is the all-time leading goalscorer in professional soccer history with 900 goals.
Spain's Next Opponent
In the quarter-finals, Spain will face Belgium, which defeated the United States 4-1 in another Round of 16 match.
