NEW DELHI: Cristiano Ronaldo shared a heartbreaking message Portugal’s FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign ended with a heartbreaking Round of 16 loss to Spain.The Portuguese manager had already announced before the game against Spain that this would be his last FIFA World Cup. Portugal lost 2-1 late on after Mikel Merino scored the winner. Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes both missed chances as Portugal’s dream of lifting the trophy ended. The 41-year-old left the field in tears after what turned out to be his last World Cup match.
Ronaldo’s emotional messages
After the defeat, Ronaldo posted a photo of the Portugal team in the camp on Instagram with a simple message of two words: “Portugal Semper”, which means “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 make “hasty decisions” about his future with Portugal.
The World Cup tour has come to an end
Ronaldo’s World Cup journey began in 2006, when Portugal finished number 4. The team reached the Round of 16 in 2010, exited the group stage in 2014, and again experienced a Round of 16 exit in 2018. In 2022, Portugal reached the quarterfinals before being eliminated. The tournament also saw Lionel Messi lead Argentina to the title.Ronaldo finishes his FIFA World Cup career with 27 games, the second of any player, with 11 goals. He scored three goals in five games in the 2026 edition but was unable to guide Portugal beyond the Round of 16.His last World Cup also ended with an unnecessary note. Ronaldo attempted 17 shots in the competition without creating a single chance for a teammate, the most of any player in the FIFA World Cup.
Ronaldo’s record in his last World Cup
The tournament, co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico, saw Ronaldo add another milestone to his incredible career.In Portugal’s 2-1 Round of 32 victory over Croatia, Ronaldo became the first player in history to score at the FIFA World Cup at the age of 41 or older. The match also featured another veteran, Luka Modric, making it the first World Cup match with two players aged 40 or over.Ronaldo also turned 41 years and 147 days old. It was also his first knockout goal at the World Cup.
How the Portuguese campaign went
Portugal opened their campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw against DR Congo, with Ronaldo struggling to get going.He returned to form against Uzbekistan, scoring twice in Portugal’s 5–0 victory. Nuno Mendes and Rafael Leao were also on target, while Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov completed the scoring.The two goals helped Ronaldo become Portugal’s top scorer in FIFA World Cup history with 10 goals, surpassing Eusebio’s nine goals. He also became the first player to play in six FIFA World Cups, ending a 10-match drought in major international competitions.Portugal finished the group stage with a goal against Colombia before defeating Croatia in the round of 32. However, their campaign ended in the next round with a painful defeat to Spain, which brought Ronaldo’s World Cup journey to an end.
