For all his records, Cristiano Ronaldo could not crack the World Cup

ARLINGTON – Cristiano Ronaldo spent more than two decades deciding matches, dragging teams through difficult moments and defying time itself to remain among football’s elite even past his Real Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus prime.

Yet the one prize that always slipped through his grasp remained out of reach on July 6, as the 41-year-old bowed out of a sixth World Cup with tears in his eyes after Portugal’s 1-0 defeat by Spain in the last 16.

Their hopes ended in painful fashion as Mikel Merino struck in stoppage time to give Spain a 1-0 victory in Dallas, a day after a relaxed Ronaldo announced that this would be his last World Cup.

Leaving a press conference to applause from journalists on July 5, he insisted he had no regrets about a career that has stretched the boundaries of longevity.

Spaniard Roberto Martinez, who coached Portugal at the tournament, celebrated Ronaldo’s commitment to football after the match, describing him as an icon of the sport.

“We will always be grateful for what he tried to do at this World Cup, because the dream was to win the World Cup and he tried with an incredible example of leadership as a captain,” the 52-year-old said.

“This is not the moment to look beyond what we’re talking about, a soccer icon. There are not many Cristiano Ronaldos.”

Ronaldo’s World Cup record includes 27 games and 11 goals. Fittingly, his only knockout-stage goal came on July 2 to help Portugal eliminate Croatia, briefly keeping alive the dream that had accompanied him since his debut at the tournament in 2006.

That edition also produced his deepest run. At 21, he was part of the Portugal side who reached the semi-finals before falling to France.

In the quarter-finals that year, he calmly converted the decisive penalty in a shoot-out victory over England, a moment that still lives in Portuguese memories and seemed at the time to foreshadow greater triumphs. They failed to arrive.

For much of his international career, Ronaldo appeared to carry the weight of Portugal’s ambitions on his shoulders.

But the landscape changed as a new generation of talent emerged, and by the 2026 tournament, questions persisted over whether he should still be a guaranteed starter.

Against Spain, the veteran played the full 90 minutes and managed three attempts on goal, but was unable to create a decisive opening.

His opponents paid tribute to one of the sport’s greats, who produced what was probably his best World Cup display at the 2018 edition against the Spaniards – a hat-trick in a 3-3 group-stage draw that included a brilliantly taken free kick in the 88th minute.

“I’m a great admirer of him, of his values, of what he stands for, of how he approaches the sport, and I think he’s a role model for young people,” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said after their last-16 win.

“Whenever we have the chance to be together, we acknowledge our mutual admiration and the pride we feel at knowing him.”

Ronaldo largely avoided questions throughout the tournament about comparisons with Lionel Messi. Still, as his World Cup story closes, the contrast is difficult to ignore. Their rivalry defined an era, but never fully extended to the international stage.

The Argentinian guided his country to the 2014 final before achieving the ultimate glory by winning the title in 2022, while the Portuguese star’s runs repeatedly ended in frustration.

But there was the prospect of a World Cup meeting.

Had Portugal topped their group instead of Colombia and continued to advance with Argentina, the two football greats would have met in the quarter-finals.

“It would be top,” the Portugal captain said of the potential showdown after scoring twice in their 5-0 thrashing of Uzbekistan in the group stage on June 23.

For a player who conquered nearly every other challenge the sport could offer, that sense of what might have been will accompany Ronaldo’s World Cup farewell. REUTERS