Portugal have crashed out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup following a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat to Spain in their Round of 16 clash.
Substitute Mikel Merino scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner to send Spain into the quarter-finals, while Portugal’s World Cup journey came to a painful end.
The defeat also signals the end of an era for Cristiano Ronaldo, who previously confirmed that the 2026 FIFA World Cup would be the final major tournament of his international career before retiring from Portugal duty.
Ronaldo leaves behind one of the most remarkable international careers in football history. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner captained Portugal to their first major trophy at the 2016 UEFA European Championship and led the team to victory in the 2019 UEFA Nations League. He also retires as Portugal’s all-time leading goalscorer and the country’s most-capped player.
