Cristiano Ronaldo's FIFA World Cup career has officially come to an end following a heartbreaking defeat to Spain.

On Monday, July 6, the 41-year-old Portuguese football star saw his long-held dream of lifting the World Cup trophy slip away after Portugal suffered a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the Round of 16 at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Ronaldo was left in tears as Spain midfielder Mikel Merino scored a dramatic 90th-minute winner, sending his team into the quarterfinals and ending Portugal's World Cup campaign.

Ronaldo's remarkable career includes five Ballon d'Or awards, five UEFA Champions League titles, the UEFA Euro 2016 crown and a world-record 976 goals for club and country.

He also made history by becoming the first player to score in six different FIFA World Cups. However, the closest he came to winning the tournament was in 2006, when Portugal reached the semi-finals.

Ahead of the match, the Portuguese captain confirmed that the 2026 World Cup would be his last, but said he hoped the Spain match would not be the final game of his career.

"It's about enjoying it as much as possible. This will be my last World Cup, but let's hope tomorrow isn't my last game," he said during a pre-match news conference on Sunday, July 5.

Ronaldo also said he is at peace with the possibility of ending his career without winning a World Cup, insisting his legacy is already complete.

"I'm not lacking anything in life. I'm not going to be more or less Cristiano because I win the World Cup. We have the qualities to win, but only one country can win it... Age gives you maturity and experience," he noted.

How many World Cups has Cristiano Ronaldo played in?

Cristiano Ronaldo has appeared in six FIFA World Cups: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026. He also became the first player in history to score in six different World Cups after finding the net against Uzbekistan during the 2026 tournament.