Cristiano Ronaldo's final World Cup tournament ended in emotional defeat as Portugal lost 1-0 to Spain in the knockout round, with an injury-time goal from Mikel Merino ending his 20-year international tournament story. The 41-year-old departs with an extraordinary legacy—five Ballon d'Or awards, five Champions League titles, and 146 international goals—yet remarkably never won the World Cup despite participating in six tournaments, his deepest run coming to the semi-finals in 2006.

The loss has triggered significant scrutiny of manager Roberto Martinez's decision to consistently field Ronaldo as a starter throughout the tournament, despite Portugal's squad containing elite talent including defenders and midfielders who have won recent major club trophies and a Premier League player of the year in Bruno Fernandes. BBC Sport pundit Chris Sutton delivered sharp criticism, arguing the manager showed excessive deference to Ronaldo's status, suggesting alternative striking options received insufficient opportunity. Martinez announced his departure after the match whilst publicly praising Ronaldo's professionalism and character, framing the veteran's participation as exemplary commitment to the tournament.