Cristiano Ronaldo ends his World Cup career without the title so

Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the greatest players in the history of football, saw his dream of winning the World Cup disappear last Monday, when the Spanish national team eliminated Portugal in the round of 16 of the competition. After two decades and six World Cups, the 41-year-old star ends his international career without the most coveted trophy in football. The match, which took place in a tense atmosphere, ended in Portugal's defeat, leaving a void on the CV of Ronaldo, who is widely recognized as one of the best players of all time. The striker, who had become the first male player to score in six World Cups, has failed to take his team beyond the round of 16 since 2018, when Portugal reached the quarter-finals.  Ronaldo started the 2026 competition on the right foot, scoring three goals, including one in an important game against Croatia, which was significant as it was his first goal in the knockout stages of the World Cup. In total, he has 11 goals in 27 matches in the tournament's history. However, the pressure increased considerably after Lionel Messi won the title in 2022, leaving Ronaldo in search of what appears to be the prize that most eludes him. Since his World Cup debut in 2006, when Portugal reached the semi-finals, Ronaldo has seen his team go through several editions of the tournament with unfulfilled promises. In 2010, the team was eliminated in the round of 16; in 2014, they failed to advance from the group stage; and, despite reaching the knockout stages in 2018, they once again stopped in the quarterfinals. Ronaldo's farewell to the World Cups does not erase his legacy, as he said goodbye as one of the athletes who most impacted the history of football. Even without the trophy, his marks and records, such as being the oldest to score in a World Cup, solidify his position as a sporting legend. The dream of winning the World Cup may not have come true, but Cristiano Ronaldo's career in the World Cup will be forever etched in the memory of football lovers. --- ## Related Articles 1. [Cristiano Ronaldo confirms: « Ce sera mon dernier Mondial » et](https://onzeactu.com/fr/news/cristiano-ronaldo-confirme-ce-sera-mon-dernier-mondial-et-laisse-le-record-de-ro) 2. [Cristiano Ronaldo: 'Before me, Portugal had achieved nothing'](https://torcidanet.live/pt/news/cristiano-ronaldo-antes-de-mim-portugal-nao-havia-conquistado-nada)

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