Spain eliminated Portugal 1-0 in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, with a goal by Mikel Merino in the 91st minute at the Dallas Stadium. There, in front of the microphones, Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, confirmed what millions feared: it was his last World Cup.
But he did not stop there. The Portuguese captain came out with a line that divided everyone: the European Championship he won in 2016 has, according to him, “the same stature” as a World Cup. He recalled that before his arrival, Portugal had never lifted a title, and that those three trophies he did win wearing his country’s shirt carry as much weight as any World Cup.
He did not confirm whether he is also retiring from the national team. That decision, he said, will come later. But the remark is already hanging among the fans: a fair vindication by a captain who gave everything, or a way of glossing over the only star he could never win?