7,330 days after playing his first minutes in a World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo has called it quits. Defeated—along with the Portuguese national team—by Spain (1-0) on a goal by Mikel Merino, he leaves the tournament as the only player in nearly a century to have scored in six World Cups, but without winning the title that would have secured his place among the greatest in history.
“I hope this isn’t my last game.” Relaxed and smiling, Cristiano expressed his fear of a premature end the day before. Not because he’d be missing a title that his rival, Leo Messi, already has, but because he’d be succumbing to the passage of time—to the reality that, at 45, it would be a pipe dream to think he could play in a seventh World Cup. “Cristiano isn’t going to be any more or less Cristiano just because he wins the World Cup,” he said the day before.
Between Criticism and Applause: Cristiano Has Always Remained an Idol
More than two decades after his debut, he is leaving the top tournament convinced that he hasn’t done “all that badly.”
To be the main target of criticism for a national team that never lived up to the expectations set by the constellation of stars on its roster.
Cristiano has felt both criticized and celebrated in the United States by fans among whom he remains a star.
Who waited for hours outside hotels to snap a photo of him and who doesn’t mind that he hasn’t been able to keep up with the incredible scoring pace of Messi, Mbappé, Haaland, or Kane.
In his final World Cup match, he continued to enjoy the support of the crowd.
The crowd chanted his name on and off, despite his few appearances.
Cristiano is now limiting his range of motion; at 41, he knows that, no matter how well he takes care of himself, he no longer has the explosiveness he once did.
And he waits for his moment (Filed under: Cristiano Ronaldo ends his World Cup run).
I hope this isn't my last game
Cristiano Ronaldo
Farewell to a Legend
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That moment never came, even though he tried to make it happen.
He left the World Cup without the spotlight he was hoping for, but with a clear conscience, “after giving it his all.”
It was a cruel farewell, sealed by a goal from Mikel Merino in the 90th minute, just as the team was preparing to hold on through overtime.
It was nothing like that June 11, 2006, when, just a few hours after Rafael Nadal won his second Roland Garros title—in an epic match against Roger Federer—he played his first World Cup matches at the RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne against Angola.
He was 21 years old, wore the number 17 on his jersey, and there was still one year, one month, and one day to go before Lamine Yamal was born.
Twenty years and 25 days later, Spain—the country where he forged his legend—marked the end of his World Cup career.
After six World Cups, 27 matches, 11 goals, and 2,305 minutes, Cristiano bids farewell, confident that he has left his mark (Filed under: Cristiano Ronaldo ends his World Cup career).
With information from EFE
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