Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, insisted he has no regrets after Spain ended Portugal’s FIFA World Cup campaign with a dramatic 1-0 victory in the Round of 16, declaring that the nation’s historic UEFA Euro 2016 triumph carries the same significance for him as lifting the World Cup.
Substitute Mikel Merino struck in stoppage time at Dallas Stadium to send Spain into the quarter-finals, bringing an emotional end to Ronaldo’s sixth and final FIFA World Cup appearance.
Before the knockout tie, the Portugal captain had already confirmed that the 2026 tournament would be his last on football’s biggest stage.
Reflecting on a career that has spanned more than two decades, Ronaldo said the European Championship success achieved with Portugal in France in 2016 remains the defining international achievement of his career.
“I’ve won Euro 2016 and for me it has same dimension as the World Cup. That remains forever. Tomorrow is a new day, and we go,” Ronaldo told reporters after the match.
The veteran forward also pointed to Portugal’s transformation during his international career, noting that the national team had not won a major trophy before his generation delivered three titles.
“I will wake up tomorrow with same mood as I did today. I did my best. I won three titles with Portugal, before me it was zero titles. I can only be happy,” he said.
Ronaldo confirmed that his World Cup journey had come to an end, although he stopped short of announcing his retirement from international football altogether.
“It’s been my last World Cup, yes… but now I will have time to think, stay with my family and life continues,” he added.
Despite the heartbreaking defeat, Ronaldo described Portugal’s performance as encouraging and praised Spain, calling the European giants one of the strongest teams left in the competition.
“I’m leaving with clear conscience. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I’m sad now after being eliminated like this… but I gave it all, my very best. We played a good game; the performance was well done. We could have done better, but Spain are among the best; they will get to the final or close,” he said.
Ronaldo concludes his World Cup career with 27 appearances and 11 goals across six tournaments, making him one of the competition’s longest-serving players.
At the 2026 finals, he scored twice against Uzbekistan and added another goal from the penalty spot against Croatia before Portugal’s knockout exit.
The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus star came closest to winning the World Cup during his debut tournament in 2006, when Portugal reached the semi-finals.
Also read: Spain end Ronaldo’s World Cup dream with 1-0 win
Although the World Cup title ultimately eluded him, Ronaldo leaves the international stage with a remarkable legacy that includes the UEFA Euro 2016 crown and two UEFA Nations League titles, achievements that cemented Portugal’s most successful era in men’s football.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
