Spain Eliminate Ronaldo’s Portugal with Stoppage-Time Winner to Reach World Cup Quarter-Finals

Spain progressed to the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a last-gasp winner from Mikel Merino ended Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup dream.

In a poor match of few chances, Arsenal’s Merino pounced in stoppage time, running between Portugal’s centre-halves before finishing low to open the scoring.

Ronaldo, 41, had said before the game that this would be his last World Cup. All eyes will now be on one of the greatest players in football history to see whether he walks away from international football.

Spain, the reigning European champions, will now face either the United States or Belgium for a place in the final four.