Round of 16
Portugal 0-1 Spain
This was very likely Cristiano Ronaldo's last ever World Cup game, and it ended in heartbreak.
Spain won it 1-0 with a goal right at the very end from their substitute Mikel Merino.
Portugal defended incredibly hard and were seconds from extra time, but the dream is now over for the Portuguese team.
How the match went
This was a huge night, because it may be the very last World Cup game of Cristiano Ronaldo at 41 years old.
And it ended in the worst way for him, with a loss that knocks Portugal out.
For most of the game, Spain had the ball and Portugal defended.
Spain are one of the best teams in the world, and they pushed and pushed to score.
But Portugal stayed strong at the back and gave them almost nothing.
Their goalkeeper Diogo Costa was without a doubt the star of the match and in the 16th minute he made an incredible double save.
First he stopped a shot from the young Spain winger Lamine Yamal, then he stopped the rebound from Alex Baena.
Ronaldo had his own big moment too, but his shot in the box was saved by the Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon.
So the game was still 0-0 at half-time, and it stayed tense and tight for a long time.
Then with about 8 minutes left, Spain's forward Mikel Oyarzabal missed a good chance to win it.
At this point it really looked like the match was heading to extra time, and Portugal were so close to holding on.
But then Spain brought on Mikel Merino, and he changed everything.
In the 90+1 minute, in stoppage time, Merino scored to make it 1-0 and win the game.
And in the end it shows that overall Spain were the better team that night.
But you have to feel for Portugal, who defended so bravely and were seconds from taking the European champions to extra time.
And this is a very sad way for a legend like Ronaldo to say goodbye to the World Cup.
Key moments
- ⚽ 90+1' Merino (Spain)
Goals in the order they were scored.
- Date
- Monday, July 6
- Kickoff Time
- 14:00 (Chicago time)
- Stage
- Round of 16
- Stadium
- AT&T Stadium, Arlington
What's next for Spain?
Spain are through to the quarter-finals, and they look like real contenders to win the whole tournament.
Next they play Belgium, who came back from 2 goals down to knock out the USA who co-host the competition.
Spain had a lot of the ball against Portugal but needed a very late goal, so they will want to be sharper in front of goal.
Still, this is a team full of quality, and after winning a tough, close game like this they will believe they can beat anyone left.
The dream is over for Portugal
Portugal are out, and this one will hurt for a very long time.
They defended brilliantly and were seconds away from taking Spain to extra time.
But this is the moment the world had been waiting for and dreading, because it is very likely the end of Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup story.
He never won the one big trophy he wanted most, and now the chance is gone.
Even so, Portugal can be proud of how hard they fought against one of the favorites.
Common questions
Who scored for Spain against Portugal?
Mikel Merino scored the only goal. He came on as a substitute and scored in the 90+1 minute, right in stoppage time, to win it 1-0 for Spain.
Was this Cristiano Ronaldo's last World Cup game?
It is very likely his last one. Ronaldo is 41 years old, and this loss knocks Portugal out, so the 2026 World Cup was almost surely his final chance.
Are Portugal out of the World Cup?
Yes, Portugal are out. This 1-0 loss to Spain knocked them out in the round of 16, so they will not reach the quarter-finals.