FC Porto · Euro Championship - Qualification · Goalkeeper · #99 · Portugal · 26 yrs
Chelsea are close to finalising a deal with Rayo Vallecano for 28-year-old Spanish left-back Pep Chavarria, who has agreed personal terms with the Premier League side. Chelsea are eyeing a move for 26-year-old Porto and Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa, who was previously linked with Manchester United and has a 60m euro (£51m) release clause.
While Lionel Messi continues his own quest for World Cup glory, Ronaldo walked away from the tournament with another historic achievement that further cemented his place among the game's all-time greats, even as Portugal's hopes were dashed. Cristiano Ronaldo‘s remarkable FIFA World Cup journey came to a heartbreaking end after Portugal was eliminated by Spain in the Round of 16, closing another memorable chapter in one of soccer’s greatest careers. While Lionel Messi continues his own quest for World Cup glory, Ronaldo walked away from the tournament with another historic achievement that further cemented his place among the game’s all-time greats, even as Portugal’s hopes were dashed. The Iberian showdown was always expected to be decided by the finest margins, and that proved to be exactly the case. Portugal battled throughout the contest but ultimately fell short after a dramatic late goal, leaving Ronaldo visibly emotional as he thanked the supporters following what he had already confirmed would be his final World Cup appearance. Spain booked its place in the World Cup quarterfinals with a 1-0 victory over its rival, thanks to Mikel Merino’s stoppage-time winner in Arlington, Texas. The match unfolded exactly as many had anticipated, with La Roja controlling possession for long periods while Portugal looked to threaten on the counterattack. Both sides created opportunities, but neither could find the breakthrough until Merino’s decisive finish deep into added time. The Arsenal midfielder entered the match late before making the decisive contribution. After exchanging passes with fellow substitute Ferran Torres, Merino raced behind the Portuguese defense and calmly slotted past Diogo Costa to send Spain into the last eight. Portugal pushed desperately for an equalizer during the remaining moments. Still, chances from Bernardo Silva and Joao Neves failed to trouble La Roja enough, allowing Luis de la Fuente’s side to preserve another clean sheet. Ronaldo joins Messi in reaching his final World Cup milestone Although Portugal’s campaign ended in disappointment, Cristiano Ronaldo reached another extraordinary milestone that only Lionel Messi has managed in World Cup history. According to Opta, Ronaldo became only the second player ever to start 25 FIFA World Cup matches, joining Lionel Messi, who currently leads the all-time list with 27 starts. 25 – Cristiano Ronaldo is the second man to start 25 #FIFAWorldCup matches, along with Lionel Messi (27).Life.— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 6, 2026 The landmark arrived as Ronaldo took his place in Portugal’s starting lineup against Spain, making his 25th World Cup start across an incredible six tournaments. Earlier during the competition, the 41-year-old had already matched Messi by appearing at six different FIFA World Cups, while also becoming the first men’s player to score in six separate World Cup tournaments after finding the net against Uzbekistan. Ronaldo leaves with tears but plenty of pride As soon as the final whistle sounded, the Al-Nassr superstar struggled to hide his emotions. The Portuguese captain remained on the field alongside his teammates, applauding the supporters before tears eventually overcame him. Cristiano Ronaldo fights back tears after Portugal's elimination in what could be his final World Cup pic.twitter.com/Dvs3mdEhCp— Vidol (@imVidol) July 6, 2026 At 41 years old, Ronaldo knew his final chance to lift the one major trophy missing from his glittering collection had disappeared. He had already confirmed before the match that this would be his last World Cup. “This will be my last World Cup, but let’s hope tomorrow isn’t my last game,” Ronaldo said before facing Spain. Reflecting on his future with the national team, he added: “The day will come [when I retire from international football]… Whatever happens tomorrow, Cristiano will leave with a clear conscience, because I’ve given everything in football”.
The veteran forward leaves the global stage with another unforgettable chapter in his legendary career, but one unexpected statistic has also emerged, leaving many supporters wondering how such an unwanted milestone came to define his final tournament. Cristiano Ronaldo saw his final World Cup campaign come to a heartbreaking conclusion after Portugal suffered a dramatic defeat to Spain in the Round of 16. The veteran forward leaves the global stage with another unforgettable chapter in his legendary career, but one unexpected statistic has also emerged, leaving many supporters wondering how such an unwanted milestone came to define his final tournament. As Portugal‘s World Cup journey came to an end, attention quickly shifted beyond the result itself. Hidden within the numbers was a remarkable achievement that no attacking player would ever hope to claim, adding another layer to Ronaldo’s emotional World Cup farewell. Spain secured a 1-0 victory over Portugal thanks to a dramatic stoppage-time goal from substitute Mikel Merino, booking a place in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup. The decisive moment arrived just before extra time appeared inevitable. After a quickly taken free kick, Rodri combined with Ferrán Torres before Merino calmly finished beyond goalkeeper Diogo Costa to silence Portugal and send Spain into the next round. The defeat officially closed Cristiano Ronaldo’s sixth and final World Cup appearance, ending an international tournament career that began back in Germany in 2006. Before the match, the 41-year-old had already confirmed that the 2026 edition would be his last. Although Portugal created several dangerous opportunities throughout the contest, Spain’s disciplined defense and late breakthrough denied the captain one final memorable World Cup victory. The Selecao das Quinas pushed desperately for an equalizer after conceding, with Bernardo Silva and Joao Neves both coming close in the closing moments. However, La Roja held firm to preserve its clean-sheet record and continue its pursuit of a second World Cup title. The unwanted record Ronaldo leaves behind Alongside the disappointment of elimination, Cristiano Ronaldo finished the tournament with an unfortunate statistical record dating back nearly six decades. According to Opta, Ronaldo recorded 17 shots during the 2026 World Cup without creating a single scoring chance for a teammate, the highest total since detailed World Cup records began in 1966. 17 – Most shots on record (since 1966) at a single edition of the FIFA World Cup without creating a single chance for a teammate:Cristiano Ronaldo, 17 (2026)Alberto Garcia Aspe, 15 (1998)Jerzy Gorgon, 13 (1974)Katlego Mphela, 13 (2010)Denis Cheryshev, 13 (2018)Ego. pic.twitter.com/RoXzmLjs6v— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 6, 2026 The statistic highlights just how heavily Portugal relied on the veteran’s finishing instincts throughout the tournament. Despite constantly finding shooting positions, he did not register an assist or create a direct opportunity for another player. Previously, the record belonged to Alberto Garcia Aspe, who attempted 15 shots without creating a chance during the 1998 World Cup. Ronaldo’s legacy remains secure despite painful ending Although this World Cup concluded with disappointment, Ronaldo’s legacy with Portugal remains untouched. Across six World Cup tournaments, countless international goals and more than two decades representing his country, he established himself among the greatest players ever to wear the Portuguese shirt. Cristiano Ronaldo #7 of Portugal applauds fans The unusual statistical record may attract headlines following his final appearance, but it does little to overshadow a remarkable international career. Portugal now enters a new era, while Ronaldo walks away from the World Cup having inspired generations and left an unforgettable mark on football history.
Although everyone expected Spain to dominate the match, Portugal put in a highly competitive performance and came close to scoring. However, a late goal from Mikel Merino changed everything, ending the 40-year-old star's dream of winning the 2026 World Cup. Spain and Portugal faced off in one of the most competitive matches of the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup. Although Luis de la Fuente’s team started by dominating possession, they lost prominence as the match went on. As a result, Roberto Martínez’s team gained attacking momentum, dominating the chances but failing in front of goal. After a last-minute goal by Mikel Merino, Cristiano Ronaldo’s dream came to an end, as Portugal were eliminated. Portugal did not start the match in the best way, being dominated by their opponents. However, they turned their poor start around, going on to dominate possession and becoming dangerous out wide. After Nuno Mendes’ injury, they lost their best attacking player, ending up lacking effectiveness in front of goal. In addition, Cristiano Ronaldo missed two chances that could have changed the course of the match. Luis de la Fuente’s team did not manage to be the most dominant side of the match, as they shared possession and had to stay deep in defense at times. Nevertheless, Spain maintained their defensive solidity, preventing any possible goal from the opposition. Although Lamine Yamal and Álex Baena tried to break the opposition’s defensive solidity, they were not clinical and went unnoticed. After the substitutions in the final minutes, they took the victory. After a move between Fabián Ruiz and Rodri, Ferran Torres received the ball near Portugal’s penalty area. Controlling the ball with his first touch, he played a pass through the opposition’s defense, finding Mikel Merino. Unlike the rest of the forwards, he took a first-time shot, clearly beating Diogo Costa. Although he came on in the 85th minute, he solved the situation in a way none of the team’s forwards had managed to do, sending Spain to the quarterfinals. SPAIN STUNS RONALDO AND PORTUGAL LATE 😱 pic.twitter.com/KGsHo7mD3P— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 6, 2026
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