Published On 6 Jul 2026
It was a humid, sticky afternoon in Dallas when the curtain fell on Cristiano Ronaldo’s illustrious FIFA World Cup career after Portugal lost to Spain in the round of 16
The match on Monday marked the last time the football legend would take to the pitch for his country in the global tournament, where he left his mark across six editions
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Ronaldo confirmed his World Cup farewell after the match, saying: “I’m sad to be leaving the World Cup like this.”
“I gave it my all. I did my best, and I’m leaving with a clear conscience. It was my last World Cup, yes, but I’ll now have time to reflect and be with my family. I won’t be making any rash decisions.”
The 41-year-old stopped short of confirming whether he had played his final game for Portugal, saying he did not want a personal decision to overshadow the team’s campaign
Ronaldo took one final look around Dallas Stadium as he fought back tears and applauded the crowd before slowly making his way to the locker room one last time, clutching the captain’s armband in his hand
Although he walks away without ever having lifted the World Cup trophy, Ronaldo is one of the few players to have had a career this distinguished
What World Cup records does Ronaldo hold?
Ronaldo became the first and only player to score at six different World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026) when, at this year’s group stage, his brace helped Portugal thrash Uzbekistan 5-0
The global icon is Portugal’s most-capped player, with 27 tournament appearances that produced 11 goals for his country
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His penalty kick against Croatia this year marked his first goal in the tournament’s knockout stage and made him the oldest goalscorer in World Cup knockout history at 41 years and 147 days
Overall, he is the second-oldest goalscorer at a World Cup after Cameroon’s Roger Milla, who was 42 years and 39 days old when he scored against Russia in 1994
How does Ronaldo compare with Messi?
The Portuguese captain has 27 tournament appearances compared with Lionel Messi’s 30, though the Argentinian captain’s tally will rise as he continues his side’s title defence
Messi stretched his legacy as the World Cup’s all-time goalscorer when he netted his 20th goal to lead his side to victory against a valiant Cape Verde in Miami last week
While Ronaldo, Messi and Mexico’s veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa share the distinction of playing in six World Cups, Ronaldo trumps his Argentinian rival by scoring in each edition of the global showpiece, whereas Messi failed to score in 2010
What’s next for the Portuguese forward?
Ronaldo gave an emotional announcement on his World Cup swansong, albeit on his own terms, when he spoke to reporters on Sunday
“I have given all I could to football. It’s my passion to play for so many years. I didn’t do it out of need; I’m doing well in life. It’s about passion. I play for the national team, and I love to play football,” the 41-year-old said
He is expected to make an announcement regarding his retirement from international football but is also expected to continue playing in the Saudi Pro League for Al-Nassr, with whom he recently won the league title
Meanwhile, Portugal manager Roberto Martinez said he was leaving his role after the loss to Spain, calling the defeat the end of a cycle for the team
Martinez praised Ronaldo as an exemplary captain and thanked him for his contribution to Portugal, while avoiding further comment on the player’s future
