Mikel Merino scored a 91st-minute winner as Spain beat neighbours Portugal 1-0 to end Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career and progress to the quarter-finals.
Portugal’s record goalscorer Ronaldo confirmed on Sunday that the 2026 World Cup will be his last, and the 2010 world champions dashed his hopes of signing off by winning the trophy as they left it late to produce a telling moment of attacking quality in a game in which it was surprisingly lacking.
Spain had the better of the first half and saw several opportunities to break the deadlock go begging, but it looked as if extra time would be required to seal their place in the last eight as the second half proved a largely uninspiring event.
But two substitutes combined to settle the tie in Spain’s favour as Ferran Torres’ reverse pass sent Merino through on goal, with the Arsenal man making no mistake with a cool finish to seal a first knockout win for Spain since their triumph in the 2010 final.
The reigning European champions will face either the United States or Belgium in the quarter-finals, with Ronaldo exiting the stage in meek fashion after a defeat that is also expected to spell the end of Roberto Martinez’s time as Portugal coach.
Spain leave it late to end Ronaldo’s World Cup career
Mikel Oyarzabal has four goals to his name in this tournament, and he wasted a gilt-edged chance for a fifth that would have given Spain a 10th-minute lead when he dragged wide after being played through on goal by Dani Olmo.
Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa performed heroics eight minutes later to keep out successive curling efforts from Lamine Yamal and Alex Baena, and Spain’s early onslaught faded thereafter.
There was frustration for Ronaldo late in the first half as he failed to get enough power on his shot after stretching to meet Joao Felix’s nod back across goal from a deep cross. Unai Simon was able to recover his position and make a comfortable save, but the Spain goalkeeper was helpless minutes later as Nuno Mendes cracked the crossbar with a deflected effort.
Left-back Mendes, tasked with shackling Yamal, was forced off x minutes into the second half, though the Barcelona forward found little joy against his replacement Nelson Semedo as extra time appeared increasingly inevitable.
But Merino ensured there would be no need for an extra half hour as he kept his composure to make the most of Torres’ brilliant pass.
That goal belatedly sparked Portugal into life, and Bernardo Silva should have levelled when he beat former Manchester City team-mate Rodri to a ball into the box, only to head over the bar from close range.
Portugal were handed one more opportunity to level with a free-kick in the eighth minute of stoppage time as the game stretched beyond the allocated six, but that delivery flashed by Ronaldo, whose chances of winning the one prize that has escaped him in his glittering career went with it.
You Should Also Read
