Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career has officially come to an end. Portugal fell 1-0 to Spain in the Round of 16 on Monday.
Substitute Mikel Merino struck the winner deep in stoppage time. The defeat closed a two-decade World Cup journey for Ronaldo. He never managed to lift the one trophy that eluded him throughout his career.
Ronaldo had announced before the match that this would be his last World Cup. He stuck to that decision regardless of Monday’s result. The 41-year-old wiped away tears after the final whistle sounded.
He later reflected on his international career with a sense of closure. “I’ve given my all. I’ve won three titles with Portugal,” he said, referring to the 2016 European Championship and two Nations League titles.
The result has reignited the long-running Messi versus Ronaldo debate. Fans and pundits are now calling the question settled for good.
Messi enjoyed a completely different tournament experience this summer. He scored six goals in his opening matches for Argentina. His hat-trick against Algeria earned a perfect rating from stats site WhoScored.
That performance drew praise from current stars across world football. Erling Haaland reacted to the display by calling Messi “a madman” on Snapchat.
Messi also broke new ground on the all-time World Cup scoring charts. He is now level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose at 16 career goals. Ronaldo sits one goal behind them on that same list.
Messi already won the World Cup with Argentina back in 2022. That title completed his legacy and answered lingering questions about him. Ronaldo came into this tournament chasing his own final chance at glory.
Without a World Cup to match his rival, his claim now looks incomplete. Many observers argue his case for the top spot lacks that key piece.
Both men became the first players ever to feature at six World Cups. That shared milestone underlined just how long this rivalry has lasted. However, only one of them leaves this tournament with the trophy already secured.