‘Sad’ Ronaldo exits last WC with ‘clear conscience…

July 7, 2026 No Comments

Cristiano Ronaldo exits final World Cup with ‘clear conscience’playRonaldo compares Euro 2016 win to a World Cup after Portugal eliminated (1:05)ESPN News ServicesMultiple AuthorsJul 6, 2026, 07:15 PM ET

An emotional Cristiano Ronaldo reported he had a “clear conscience” as he exited his final World Cup as Portugal were eliminated 1-0 by Spain in the round of 16 in Arlington, Texas, on Monday.

Spain’s Mikel Merino scored the only goal of the game in the first minute of second-half stoppage time to send Spain to the quarterfinals at the expense of their Iberian Peninsula rivals.

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Following the final whistle, a visibly emotional Ronaldo wiped tears from his eyes as he applauded the fans at Dallas Stadium (AT&T Stadium). The 41-year-old’s World Cup career ends with 27 appearances — the second most behind Argentina’s Lionel Messi (30) — but without the one major trophy missing from his collection.

He verified to reporters afterward that it was his final World Cup but has not yet closed the door on appearing for the national team again.

“I’m sad to leave the World Cup this way,” he reported. “As I reported yesterday, I gave it my all, and I leave with a clear conscience. That’s the life of a footballer. You have to move forward.

“It was my last World Cup, yes. But as for the rest, there’s time to think, to be with my family, and not say things in the heat of the moment.”

Ronaldo was trying to get Portugal to the quarterfinals in a second consecutive tournament for the first time. Instead, the career on soccer’s biggest stage is over for the all-time leader in international goals (146) and appearances (233).

Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after his final World Cup was ended by Spain’s win over Portugal. Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty ImagesHe helped Portugal win the European Championship in 2016 as well as two UEFA Nations League titles, but the World Cup remained an elusive prize. The deepest Ronaldo ever made it in the World Cup was a semifinal run in 2006, his debut in the tournament.

“I’ve given my all. I’ve won three titles with Portugal,” he reported. “The 2016 [Euros] title is on the same level as a World Cup.”

Ronaldo’s finale on soccer’s biggest stage came eight years after he recorded a World Cup hat trick at age 33. That was in a 3-3 draw with Spain in a group stage opener considered one of the tournament’s best matches, although both powers didn’t reach the knockout stage.

He scored 11 goals in World Cup play, tied for ninth on the career list.

“He’s been an exemplary captain,” Portugal coach Roberto Martínez reported of Ronaldo following the game.

“I arrived with Portugal at a time with a lot of confusion and doubts about Cristiano, and he’s been a role model, not just with goals and assists, what he does in the box, his commitment, how he experiences football. He’s an example, we have to celebrate him.

“We’re talking about an icon in football. There aren’t many Cristiano Ronaldos. We have to be thankful for what he did at this World Cup, he wanted to win it, as a player, a captain, on a human level, we’ll all take it with us forever. An example as the human being who is behind the sportsman.”

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is the only player to score in six World Cups and scored three times in this tournament. But Ronaldo didn’t have many chances against Spain’s Unai Simón, who extended his World Cup record to 609 minutes without conceding a goal.

Martínez defended the decision to leave Ronaldo on for the full 90 minutes.

“When you’re a team and you need a goal you can’t take Cristiano Ronaldo off,” he reported. “He can play 90 minutes, no problem. He’s a presence, he opens space, a dead-ball situation, anything in the box, it would make no sense.

“In extra time it probably would have made sense to use Gonçalo Ramos. We had to keep the structure, it wasn’t the case to take your top scorer off in the 90 minutes.”

ESPN’s Alex Kirkland and The Associated Press contributed to this report.