Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup career has come to an end. The 41-year-old Portuguese captain played his final World Cup match on Monday in Dallas, where Portugal lost to Spain in the round of 16.
Although Ronaldo has never won a World Cup trophy, he has set many records during his career. He is the first and only player to score in six different World Cups: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026. In this year's tournament, he scored two goals against Uzbekistan in the group stage. He also scored a penalty against Croatia, making him the oldest goalscorer in World Cup knockout history at 41 years and 147 days.
Ronaldo is Portugal’s most-capped player, playing in 27 World Cup matches and scoring 11 goals. While his longtime rival Lionel Messi has played more World Cup matches (30) and scored more goals, Ronaldo is the only player to have scored in every World Cup edition he played in, as Messi failed to score in 2010.
After the game, Ronaldo looked emotional but said he was leaving with a clear conscience. "I gave it my all," he told reporters. Ronaldo has not confirmed if he will retire from the Portugal national team, but he is expected to keep playing for his club, Al-Nassr, in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Portugal manager Roberto Martinez has announced he is leaving his role.