The images of Cristiano Ronaldo leaving the field of play with tears on his face went around the world after Portugal’s 1-0 defeat against Spain in the round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Videos captured from the stands and official broadcasts showed the Portuguese captain walking towards the locker room tunnel, visibly affected by the elimination.
At 41 years old, the forward played what he confirmed was the last World Cup match of his career, putting an end to a career that began more than two decades ago and that changed the history of the Portuguese team.
“Before Cristiano, Portugal did not have any titles”
Minutes after the game, already in the mixed zone, Ronaldo put aside his emotion to take stock of his journey with the national team.
“Tomorrow I will wake up the same as today, with a clear conscience. I have won three titles with Portugal. Before Cristiano, Portugal did not have any titles. I am happy. The biggest title I won with the national team was in 2016, the European Championship; for me it has the same dimension as a World Cup. Tomorrow will be another day and life goes on,” he declared.
The captain’s words summarize an unprecedented transformation for Portuguese football.
Before his debut with the senior team in 2003, Portugal had never won an official title in the senior category. During his time as the team’s leader, the Portuguese team won Euro 2016 in France and the UEFA Nations League in 2019, in addition to consolidating itself among the main powers in international football.
“I leave with a clear conscience”
Cristiano also acknowledged his sadness at the elimination, although he said he left convinced that he had given everything during the tournament.
“I’m sad to leave the World Cup like this, but I’ve given everything, my best. I’m leaving with a clear conscience. That’s football, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. You have to keep going,” he said.
Asked about his future, he confirmed that the match against Spain was his last participation in a World Cup, although he avoided commenting on a possible retirement from professional football.
“It was my last World Cup, but for the rest there will be time to think, be with my family and not decide things with a hot head. And continue life,” he said.
A goodbye that will remain in the images
The elimination of Portugal also meant the end of coach Roberto Martínez’s cycle and closed the World Cup stage of the top scorer in the history of the Portuguese team.
Beyond the result, the image of Cristiano Ronaldo leaving the field in tears became one of the most significant postcards of the 2026 World Cup and the symbol of the closing of a career that marked an era for Portugal.