In the early morning of July 7 (Vietnam time), Portugal suffered a 0-1 defeat to Spain in the 1/8 round of the 2026 World Cup. Midfielder Mikel Merino scored the decisive goal in injury time of the second half, making Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates' journey close with regret.
After the match, the 41-year-old striker confirmed that this is the last World Cup in his career. However, he said he will spend time with his family before making any decisions about his future at the national team level.
I am sad to leave the World Cup in this way, but I have dedicated everything and left with a peaceful conscience. This is my last World Cup. I will not make a decision while emotions are still too much," Ronaldo shared.
Notably, the Portuguese captain believes that the EURO 2016 championship is no less meaningful than the World Cup title.
Before my time, the team had never won a major title. For me, the EURO 2016 championship is as important as a World Cup championship. I really believe that," Ronaldo emphasized.
In the national team jersey, Ronaldo has won three titles with Portugal including EURO 2016 and UEFA Nations League in 2019, 2025. He said wearing the national team jersey has always been his greatest pride in more than two decades of playing.
In the match against Spain, Ronaldo played all 90 minutes but could not score. The veteran striker said that the two teams created a balanced game and the result was only decided by a moment.
Spain was a bit lucky to score at the end of the match, but that's football. We played well, the team has progressed and needs to continue to develop. I believe Spain is capable of reaching the final or getting very close to that match," he said.
Ronaldo also expressed his gratitude to coach Roberto Martinez, who is said to be likely to leave the Portuguese national team after the 2026 World Cup. According to the striker born in 1985, the Spanish strategist has contributed a lot to Portuguese football and deserves recognition.
Closing the 2026 World Cup, Ronaldo scored 3 goals, including his first goal in the knockout rounds of World Cups. He also became the first player to score in 6 different World Cups. However, the dream of conquering the world championship has not yet come true, as Portugal's best achievement in the Ronaldo era is still fourth place at the 2006 World Cup.
