Tears and applause: Cristiano Ronaldo leaves his final World Cup heartbroken

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo in tears after losing at the World Cup in the round of 16 against rival Spain. (AP Photo) Cristiano Ronaldo wiped his eyes as the final whistle blew at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Monday night and gave the fans one last round of applause in the stands wearing his World Cup jersey. Spain beat Portugal 1-0 through Mikel Merino’s stoppage time to advance to the quarter-finals. And with this single goal, Ronaldo’s World Cup story ended. Six tournaments, 27 games, 11 goals, a life full of moments, it’s over.“I’m sad to leave the World Cup like this,” Ronaldo said afterwards. “As I said yesterday, I gave it my all and I’m leaving with a clear conscience. That’s the life of a footballer. You have to move forward.” At 41, Ronaldo is the only player in history to score in six World Cups and has scored three times in this tournament. But the one trophy that has always eluded him, the World Cup, is still missing from a collection that includes five Ballon d’Or awards, the 2016 European Championship and two UEFA Nations League triumphs with Portugal. The deepest he ever went in a World Cup was the semi-finals in 2006, his tournament debut.Also read: The football world erupts over Donald Trump’s role in FIFA’s Balogun red card turnaround“I gave everything. I won three titles with Portugal,” he said. “The Euro 2016 title is on par with the World Cup.”

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo in tears after losing in the round of 16 of the World Cup against rival Spain. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)

He confirmed it was his last World Cup, although he stopped short of announcing his international retirement, saying it was time to think and be with his family before making any decisions.Portugal coach Roberto Martinez was unequivocal in his praise. “We are talking about an icon in football,” he said. “There aren’t many Cristiano Ronaldos. We have to be grateful for what he did in this World Cup. An example as a human being behind an athlete.”Also read: Creepy Neymar announces immediate international retirement following Brazil’s shock World Cup defeat to NorwayRonaldo ended his World Cup journey at 27 games, second only to Messi’s 30 and 11 goals, tied for ninth on the all-time list.He wanted the World Cup more than anything else. Football gave him almost everything else. On Monday night in Texas, the dream that never came true finally said goodbye and Ronaldo, eyes sparkling, clapped all the way to the tunnel.