Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Sport
Brian Yalung

'I Gave It My All': Cristiano Ronaldo Fights Back Tears After Portugal Exit Ends His Final World Cup Quest

Cristiano Ronaldo's final FIFA World Cup ended in heartbreak as Portugal suffered a 1-0 defeat to Spain, bringing the football icon's remarkable six-tournament World Cup career to an emotional close. (Credit: YantsImages | Wikimedia Commons)

Cristiano Ronaldo fought back tears after Portugal's 1-0 defeat by Spain ended his final FIFA World Cup campaign, bringing the legendary forward's 27-year journey on football's biggest stage to a heartbreaking close.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner had hoped to cap his final World Cup by leading Portugal to the quarter-finals for a second consecutive tournament. Instead, Mikel Merino's early second-half strike sent Spain through to the round of 16 in Arlington, Texas, on Monday, 6 July, leaving Ronaldo's dream of lifting the World Cup trophy forever unfulfilled.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.