NEW DELHI: Cristiano Ronaldo shared an emotional message after Portugal’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign came to an end with a 16th round defeat in Spain.The Portuguese captain had already announced before the Spain match that this would be his final FIFA World Cup. Portugal suffered a late 2-1 defeat after Mikel Merino scored the winner. Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes missed chances as Portugal’s dream of lifting the trophy came to an end. The 41-year-old left the pitch in tears after what turned out to be his last World Cup game.
Ronaldo’s emotional message
After the defeat, Ronaldo posted a photo of the Portugal team in an Instagram post with a simple message of two words: “Portugal Semper”, which translates to “Portugal Forever”.Despite confirming that this was his last World Cup, Ronaldo has not revealed whether he will retire from international football. Speaking after the match, he said he would not make “reckless decisions” about his future with Portugal.
A World Cup journey is coming to an end
Ronaldo’s World Cup journey began in 2006, when Portugal finished fourth. The team reached the Round of 16 in 2010, exited the group stage in 2014, and suffered another round of 16 in 2018. In 2022, Portugal reached the quarter-finals before being eliminated. That tournament also saw Lionel Messi lead Argentina to the title.Ronaldo ends his FIFA World Cup career with 27 appearances, the second most for any player, and 11 goals. He scored three goals in five games during the 2026 edition, but was unable to lead Portugal beyond the Round of 16.His World Cup final also ended with an undesirable record. Ronaldo attempted 17 shots during the tournament without creating a single chance for a teammate, the most by any player at a FIFA World Cup.
Ronaldo’s records in his World Cup finals
The tournament, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, also saw Ronaldo add more milestones to his remarkable career.In 32-year-old Portugal’s 2-1 win over Croatia, Ronaldo became the first player in history to appear in a FIFA World Cup knockout match at the age of 41 or older. The match also featured another veteran, Luka Modric, making his first World Cup match with two outfield players aged 40 or over.Ronaldo also became the oldest goalscorer in World Cup knockout history at 41 years and 147 days. It was also his first goal in a World Cup knockout match.
How the Portuguese campaign develops
Portugal opened their campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw against DR Congo, with Ronaldo struggling to make an impact.He returned in style against Uzbekistan, scoring twice in Portugal’s 5-0 win. 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 all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history with 10 goals, surpassing Eusebio’s tally of nine. He also became the first player to score in six different FIFA World Cup tournaments, ending a 10-game goal drought in major international competitions.Portugal finished the group stage with a goalless draw against Colombia before defeating Croatia in the Round of 32. However, their campaign ended in the next round with a painful defeat in Spain, bringing Ronaldo’s World Cup journey to an end.