Cristiano Ronaldo’s two-word message after Portugal’s exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo (AP Photo) NEW DELHI: Cristiano Ronaldo shared an emotional message after Portugal’s 2026 World Cup campaign ended with a heartbreaking round of 16 defeat to Spain.The Portuguese captain already announced before the match with Spain that it would be his last World Cup. Portugal suffered a late 2–1 defeat after Mikel Merino scored the winner. Both Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes missed chances as Portugal’s dream of lifting the trophy came to an end. The 41-year-old left the pitch in tears after what turned out to be his last World Cup game.

Ronaldo’s emotional message

Following the defeat, Ronaldo posted a picture of the Portugal team huddled on Instagram with a simple two-word message: “Portugal Semper”, which translates to “Portugal forever”.Although Ronaldo confirmed this was his last World Cup, he did not reveal whether he would retire from international football. He said after the match that he would not make any “hasty decisions” about his future with Portugal.

The World Cup journey is coming to an end

Ronaldo’s World Cup journey began in 2006 when Portugal finished fourth. The team reached the round of 16 in 2010, exited the group stage in 2014 and suffered another round of 16 exit in 2018. In 2022, Portugal reached the quarter-finals before being eliminated. Lionel Messi also led Argentina to the title in this tournament.Ronaldo finished his FIFA World Cup career with 27 appearances, the second most of any player, and 11 goals. During the 2026 edition, he scored three goals in five games, but failed to lead Portugal past the round of 16.His final World Championship also ended with an unwanted record. Ronaldo attempted 17 shots during the tournament without creating a single chance for teammates, the most of any player at the FIFA World Cup.

Ronaldo’s records at his last World Cup

Co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico, the tournament also brought Ronaldo further milestones in his remarkable career.In Portugal’s 2–1 Round of 32 win over Croatia, Ronaldo became the first player in history to appear in a FIFA World Cup knockout match aged 41 or over. The match also featured another veteran, Luka Modric, making it the first World Cup match with two outfield players aged 40 and over.Ronaldo also became the oldest goalscorer in World Cup knockout history at 41 years and 147 days. It was also his first ever goal in a World Cup knockout match.

How the Portuguese campaign went

Portugal opened their campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw against DR Congo, with Ronaldo struggling to make his mark.He bounced back in style against Uzbekistan, scoring twice in Portugal’s 5-0 win. Nuno Mendes and Rafael Leao were also on target, while Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov completed the goal with an own goal.The two goals helped Ronaldo become Portugal’s all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history with 10 goals, surpassing Eusebio’s tally of nine. He also became the first player to score in six different FIFA World Cup tournaments, ending a 10-match goal drought in major international competitions.Portugal ended the group stage with a goalless draw against Colombia before beating Croatia in the round of 32. However, their campaign ended in a painful defeat to Spain in the next round, ending Ronaldo’s journey to the World Cup.