The curtain has finally come down on Cristiano Ronaldos FIFA World Cup career. It ended not with the trophy that he always wanted. With tears on the sidelines of AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Spain edged out neighbours Portugal 1-0 in a round-of-16 encounter on Monday. This was thanks to a 91st-minute winner from substitute Mikel Merino. This brought a close to the 41-year-olds sixth and final World Cup appearance.

A Match Decided in the Dying Minutes

For stretches the contest looked like it was going to go to extra time. Both sides created some chances. Struggled to find the breakthrough in a tight nervous game. Spains Mikel Oyarzabal had an opportunity to put his side ahead. At the end Ronaldo saw an effort pushed away by Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón. Portugals Diogo Costa made a save to deny Álex Baena. Nuno Mendes also came close his effort hitting the crossbar.

It was Spains bench that ultimately decided the contest. Substitute Ferran Torres played in substitute Merino. He calmly finished low past Costa to send Spain through to the quarterfinals. There they will face either the United States or Belgium in Los Angeles.

A Match Decided in the Dying Minutes

For stretches the contest looked like it was going to go to extra time. Both sides created some chances. Struggled to find the breakthrough in a tight nervous game. Spains Mikel Oyarzabal had an opportunity to put his side ahead. At the end Ronaldo saw an effort pushed away by Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón. Portugals Diogo Costa made a save to deny Álex Baena. Nuno Mendes also came close his effort hitting the crossbar.

It was Spains bench that ultimately decided the contest. Substitute Ferran Torres played in substitute Merino. He calmly finished low past Costa to send Spain through to the quarterfinals. There they will face either the United States or Belgium in Los Angeles.

The End of an Era for Ronaldo

The result marked the end of Ronaldos World Cup journey. He was visibly emotional after the whistle. The Portuguese captain wiped away tears as he applauded the travelling fans at the stadium. Speaking afterwards he said this had been his World Cup outing. He was leaving the tournament with a heart. He felt he had given everything he could and could depart with a clear conscience. He will take time with his family before making any decisions regarding his future with the national team. He did not want to make calls in the heat of the moment.

Ronaldo had been coy about the prospect of this being his farewell World Cup. He told reporters he preferred to focus on the game at hand than speculation about his future. He will decide when to end his career on his own terms.

A Record-Filled but Trophy-Less World Cup Career

Ronaldo leaves the World Cup stage with individual milestones.. The one prize that eluded him throughout his career was the World Cup trophy itself. He finishes with 27 tournament appearances. This is the highest of all time behind Argentinas Lionel Messis 30. He also has 11 goals. This places him among the scorers in World Cup history.

Earlier in this tournament Ronaldo became the player to score at six different World Cups. This was during the group stage when his brace helped Portugal thrash Uzbekistan 5-0. His penalty against Croatia made him the oldest goalscorer in World Cup knockout-stage history at 41 years and 147 days.

A Quiet Final Performance

Ronaldos final World Cup match was an one. He managed 19 total touches across the match. This was the fewest he has ever registered in a half of World Cup football. He attempted three shots in 90 minutes. He nearly broke the deadlock in the minute.. The chance did not fall his way.

Martinez Defends His Captain

Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez defended his decision to keep Ronaldo on the pitch for the 90 minutes. He explained that a team chasing a goal could not afford to remove a player of Ronaldos presence and box impact. Martinez had words for his captains overall contribution to the side. He described Ronaldo as a leader who had been a role model both on and off the pitch.

What’s Next

Ronaldos World Cup story has ended.. His playing career shows no signs of slowing down. He is expected to continue turning out in the Saudi Pro League for Al-Nassr. Whether he will feature for Portugal in international fixtures, outside the World Cup remains to be seen.