Portugal's national team, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, suffered a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup.

What happened?

The solitary goal by Mikel Merino at 90+1 minutes secured Spain's victory, qualifying the team for the quarterfinals.

At 41 years old, Ronaldo officially ended his last participation in the World Cup without achieving his greatest objective. He played with all the warrior strength he had left, moving tirelessly and encouraging his teammates to advance.

Why does it matter for Portugal?

The defeat means that Portugal's national team will not win the World Cup trophy in 2026. With a recent form of 3W-2D-0L, the team had been showing a solid performance, but it was not enough to overcome Spain.

What comes next?

Portugal's national team is now preparing for the next match, against Wales, on September 24, 2026. After the defeat, Cristiano Ronaldo left the World Cup with the respect of his teammates, opponents, and millions of fans. He played 27 matches and scored 11 goals in the competition, a record for Portuguese football in the World Cup. Ronaldo's last World Cup match came after Portugal's 2-1 victory over Croatia on July 2, 2026.