Skipper Cristiano Ronaldo could not hold back tears Monday evening when a Mikel Merino’s die minute strike knocked out Portugal and earned Spain a 1-0 win during their 2026 FIFA World Cup Round Of 16 match.

The decisive goal, that sailed through the left corner obviously put an end to Ronaldo’s World Cup career, having played in four FIFA senior tournaments.

The tension soaked encounter was due for an extra time when substitute Merino scored a late winner to put Spain in the quarter-finals.

The European champions will face either the United States – the only one of the co-hosts remaining – or Belgium on Friday in Los Angeles.

In front of a large crowd of 70,649 at the air-conditioned home of the Dallas Cowboys, a match that on paper promised so much failed to really deliver.

It meant a sour final World Cup match for the 41-year-old Ronaldo, now playing in Saudi Arabia, having confirmed on the eve of the encounter that this would be his last dance on football’s biggest stage.

The neighbours came into the contest both unbeaten, but while Portugal had not been entirely convincing, Spain had not even conceded a goal in the tournament.