Portugal has been eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the Round of 16 stage after a last-minute defeat to Spain, who advance to the quarter-finals in the tournament currently hosted jointly by the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
This defeat marks the end of an era for veteran Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, who participated in his sixth consecutive World Cup tournament.
Ronaldo competed in the 2026 World Cup aspiring to clinch the elusive title since his first outing in 2006. Though he scored only three goals this time, he made history by becoming the first player to score in six different World Cup editions.
However, Ronaldo also set 'negative' records in what was a 'sorrowful farewell' for the 41-year-old football legend, possibly playing in his last World Cup.
Ronaldo's Negative Records:
- Ronaldo failed to score from open play in 10 knockout matches he played across six World Cups, only managing a goal from the penalty spot against Croatia in the current tournament's Round of 32.
- In the 2026 World Cup, Ronaldo attempted a record 17 shots without creating any scoring opportunities for teammates.
- He was unable to score against any of the previous World Cup-winning teams (like Spain, Germany, France, Brazil) in any of his matches against them in the tournament.
- Ronaldo scored only three goals in the 2026 World Cup (two against Uzbekistan and one penalty against Croatia) from a total of 22 shots throughout the competition.