Spain secured a place in the World Cup quarter-finals after substitute Mikel Merino scored a dramatic late winner in a 1-0 victory over Portugal on Monday (Jul 6), bringing Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup journey to a disappointing end.
The European champions will now face either the United States or Belgium on Friday in Los Angeles for a place in the semi-finals.
Played in front of 70,649 fans at the air-conditioned home of the Dallas Cowboys, the highly anticipated last-16 clash failed to produce the attacking spectacle many had expected. With extra time seemingly inevitable, Merino struck in the first minute of stoppage time after fellow substitute Ferran Torres delivered the decisive assist.
The defeat marked Ronaldo’s final appearance at football’s biggest tournament. The 41-year-old forward appeared emotional at the final whistle, struggling to hold back tears after Portugal’s elimination.
Spain captain Rodri praised his team’s patience and composure under pressure.
“Anyone who thinks we would move forward without suffering is mistaken,” said the Manchester City midfielder. “We knew we had to wait for the right moment, and it came, even though they also had chances to win the game.”
Rodri also highlighted Merino’s impact, saying: “He is a sensational player. He is someone I love.”
Ronaldo, who currently plays club football in Saudi Arabia, confirmed before the match that this World Cup would be his final appearance on the global stage. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner remains undecided on when he will retire from international football but struggled to influence the match against Spain.
Both teams entered the game unbeaten, with Spain maintaining their remarkable defensive record by keeping another clean sheet throughout the tournament.
The match had been billed as a meeting between two generations of football greatness — Ronaldo, one of the sport’s greatest-ever players, and Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal. However, neither player was able to make the decisive impact expected from them.
Before kickoff, a touching tribute was paid to late Portugal forward Diogo Jota, whose black-and-white image was displayed on the stadium’s giant screen.
Spain Pressure Early as Portugal Fight Back
Spain nearly took the lead inside the opening 10 minutes when Dani Olmo set up Mikel Oyarzabal, but the forward missed a golden opportunity by firing wide with only goalkeeper Diogo Costa to beat.
Ronaldo had Portugal’s first clear chance, forcing Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon into a save from a tight angle as he searched for his fourth goal of the tournament.
Spain increased the pressure as Lamine Yamal and Alex Baena tested Costa, with the Portugal goalkeeper producing a brilliant fingertip save to deny another effort.
Ronaldo, playing in a central attacking role late in his career, struggled to find space and was both cheered and jeered by sections of the crowd.
Portugal finished the first half strongly and came close to breaking the deadlock when Pedro Porro’s attempted clearance redirected Nuno Mendes’ shot onto the crossbar.
Spain’s teenage winger Yamal endured a difficult battle against Mendes, who was eventually forced off with an injury early in the second half.
Merino Delivers Late Drama
With the match lacking a breakthrough, Portugal coach Roberto Martinez introduced fresh attacking options with substitutions in the 71st and 83rd minutes but chose to keep Ronaldo on the pitch.
However, Spain found the winning moment in the dying seconds.
Merino, who had been on the field for only six minutes, calmly finished after Torres’ pass to send Spain into the quarter-finals and end Portugal’s World Cup hopes.
For Ronaldo, it was a heartbreaking conclusion to his final World Cup appearance. For Spain, the victory kept alive their dream of winning a second world title after their historic triumph in 2010.
