A goal by Mikel Merino in the 90th minute was enough to send Portugal home. 0-1 against Spain in the round of 16, and with that scoreline, Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup chapter most likely came to a close.

It’s twenty years of history: from Germany 2006 to tonight, you watched him grow from a promise into a tournament legend.

He leaves without the Cup he chased so hard, but he leaves behind something no other footballer can say: he was the first player to score in six different World Cups.

And amid the defeat, one image remained, already making the rounds on social media: Lamine Yamal walking toward Cristiano to hug him as soon as the match ended. A small gesture that sums up the respect of one generation for another. 🫂🇵🇹
Last video retiring:
🇵🇹0️⃣⚽️1️⃣🇪🇸 | MUNDIAL 2026: LA ÚLTIMA IMAGEN DE CRISTIANO RONALDO EN UN MUNDIAL. pic.twitter.com/UE2lJlJzqm
— Alerta News 24 (@AlertaNews24) July 6, 2026
