Inside Cristiano Ronaldo's last World Cup appearance

Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup journey appears to have ended in agonising fashion as Portugal fell 1-0 to Spain in the last 16, conceding in stoppage time. His confident pre‑match declaration “I think we will win”, quickly faded as Spain controlled the game and Ronaldo struggled to influence play. He received whistles from rival fans, exchanged awkward gestures during the pre‑match photo and spent long stretches hands on hips, visibly frustrated.

Ronaldo produced occasional flashes: a step‑over and shot saved by Unai Simón, protests for a penalty, and an acrobatic deflection that forced a spectacular stop. Yet he never truly settled, finishing the first half with just two attempts and limited involvement. The second period brought more sighs and isolated runs before Mikel Merino’s late goal shattered Portugal’s hopes. Ronaldo urged teammates forward, but Bernardo Silva’s header drifted over, leaving CR7 to retrieve the ball one last time as his record‑breaking World Cup career reached its likely end.