Ronaldo's final World Cup ends in tears as Portugal exit and Martinez quits

Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career ended in heartbreak as Portugal lost 1-0 to Spain in the last 16, with Mikel Merino’s stoppage-time goal sending them out. Ronaldo was in tears at the final whistle, closing the tournament without the only major prize missing from his glittering career.

The defeat also triggered the end of Roberto Martinez’s reign. He announced he was leaving after the match, saying he had come to Portugal to win the World Cup and that it would not make sense to continue after falling short.

The debate over Ronaldo’s role will now linger. He scored three times in the tournament and still drew attention through his status and experience, but critics argued Portugal were too tied to starting him in every match. Chris Sutton was especially scathing, saying Portugal were out because Martinez “pandered” to the captain rather than picking the best attacking balance.

That criticism focused on what Portugal left unused. With players such as Goncalo Ramos, Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Joao Neves and Nuno Mendes in the squad, many felt Portugal had enough quality to do more than reach the last 16. The question of whether Ronaldo should have played every game will be one of the lasting themes of the tournament.

Ronaldo’s legacy, though, remains immense. He ends his World Cup story as the only player to score in six editions of the tournament, and he leaves with a world-record 146 international goals. But the one title that always eluded him — the World Cup — is also the one that now defines the end of his international journey.

For many fans, this is still a career to celebrate rather than mourn. Portugal supporters described themselves as lucky to have watched him, and that is the right way to view a player who has shaped the sport for two decades. Even in tears, Ronaldo leaves behind a standard few have ever approached.