Cristiano Ronaldo finally broke down in tears, unable to fulfill his dream of a 'World Cup title' as his 'last dance' came to an end.

*This content was translated by AI.

The wish of Cristiano Ronaldo (41, Al-Nassr), who had said, "I hope tomorrow's match will not be my last World Cup game," ultimately went unfulfilled. Ronaldo, who had declared that the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup would effectively be his final tournament, put a period to his World Cup journey with hot tears.

Portugal, led by Ronaldo as captain, lost 0-1 to Spain in the Round of 16 match held on the 7th (Korean time) at Dallas Stadium in the United States. The score remained tied at 0 until the final moments of the second half, but Portugal conceded a heartbreaking and decisive goal in the first minute of stoppage time. Ronaldo, playing as a forward, completed the full 90 minutes and attempted three shots but failed to find the net.

In an official press conference the day before, Ronaldo said, "I am trying to enjoy as much as possible the fact that this will be my last World Cup. I hope tomorrow (the 7th) does not become my last World Cup match; I wish to continue moving forward according to God's will." However, the result was a defeat against Spain and elimination from the Round of 16. Following a loss suffered shortly after hinting at retirement beyond his final World Cup, Ronaldo could not hide his hot tears once the final whistle blew.

With this elimination, Ronaldo also failed to complete the "last puzzle" that remained unfulfilled among his numerous championship careers. He has participated in six consecutive World Cups since the 2006 Germany tournament, sharing the top record with eternal rival Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) and others. However, during his six World Cup attempts, he never realized his dream of winning the title. His best performance came in the first tournament in 2006 in Germany, where he reached the semifinals. Since then, he has been eliminated in the quarterfinals once, the Round of 16 three times, and the group stage once.

With rival Messi having resolved his regret over not winning the World Cup by securing the title at the 2022 Qatar tournament and ascending to true legend status, even more attention was focused on Ronaldo's performance in this World Cup, which would effectively be his final challenge. However, Portugal, led by Ronaldo, failed to reach the summit of the tournament once again and was eliminated midway.

At least Ronaldo etched his name into various World Cup records. He became the first player to score in six different World Cups and the first to net 25 or more goals across both the World Cup and the UEFA European Championship (Euro). Scoring in six World Cup tournaments is a record that Messi has not achieved. He also left behind records such as the oldest goal scorer in World Cup tournament history and the all-time top scorer for the Portugal national team in World Cup history.

However, Ronaldo's individual World Cup journey remains marked by clear regrets. He has appeared in 27 matches in the World Cup finals, scoring 11 goals. However, among these, his only goal in a tournament match was the penalty kick scored against Croatia in the Round of 32 at this tournament. Ronaldo's presence, which tended to diminish whenever he reached the knockout stages, repeatedly left regrets throughout Portugal's championship quest.

After the match, Ronaldo, who could not hide his tears on the field, exchanged greetings with rising star Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), born in 2007, and then headed to the locker room with a stunned expression. Football statistics media Squawka reported, "Ronaldo played his 27th and final World Cup match for the Portugal national team. An era has come to an end."

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*This content was translated by AI.