Ronaldo's 'Last Dance' Ends in Round of 16... A Tearful Goodbye

The 'Last Dance' of Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo (41, Al-Nassr) at the 2026 North and Central America World Cup has come to a halt against Iberian rivals Spain.

Portugal suffered a 0-1 defeat to Spain in the Round of 16 match held at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on July 7 (KST), after conceding a dramatic winning goal in the first minute of second-half stoppage time.

Having reached the quarterfinals in the previous 2022 Qatar tournament, Portugal aimed to advance to the final eight for two consecutive tournaments, but they were unable to achieve their goal and had to head home.

No one was more devastated by the result than Portugal's captain, Ronaldo.

During the official press conference yesterday, Ronaldo said, "I am trying to enjoy the fact that this will be my last World Cup. I hope tomorrow will not be my final World Cup match," but it ultimately became his final stage.

After the match, Ronaldo could not hide his reddening eyes. He applauded the Portuguese fans who cheered for him throughout the 90 minutes before walking toward the locker room with a look of desolation.

Ronaldo, who first stepped onto the World Cup stage in 2006 at the age of 21, concluded his 20-year World Cup journey with this match against Spain.

Ronaldo's 'Last Dance,' which spanned a total of five matches—three in the group stage and two in the knockout stage—was brilliant.

By appearing in the Group K opener against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ronaldo set a historic record as the first player to compete in six consecutive World Cups.

He then scored multiple goals in the second Group K match against Uzbekistan, marking another milestone as the first player to score in six consecutive World Cup tournaments.

Ronaldo also found the net with a penalty kick in the Round of 32 match against Croatia, bringing his total World Cup career goal tally to 11.

Finally, in the Round of 16 'Iberian Derby,' Ronaldo played the full match against Spain, but his three shots failed to find the target, and he was unable to record any offensive points. As Portugal conceded a dramatic goal in stoppage time and was eliminated, Ronaldo's 20-year World Cup journey came to an end.

In his World Cup debut, Ronaldo helped lead Portugal to a fourth-place finish and poured his passion into winning his country's first World Cup title. However, after finishes in the Round of 16 in 2010, the group stage in 2014, the Round of 16 in 2018, and the quarterfinals in 2022, he bids farewell to the World Cup stage without the championship trophy, ending his 'Last Dance' in the Round of 16.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.