Ronaldo’s last dance: Soccer’s superstar takes his final World Cup bow in Dallas

Four days before his World Cup career would come to an end, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first ever knockout stage goal in the tournament. The point came from a converted penalty kick during a second half, and contributed to Croatia’s ousting from the 2026 bracket. 

It may come as a shock that the Portuguese superstar, held among soccer’s greats, had never before scored in the knockout stages of the World Cup. He’s notched six World Cups on his belt, and made it to 10 knockout games. But the goal had eluded him. 

His June 2 point, scored in front of a packed crowd in Toronto, came just in time. Days later on June 6, a late goal by Spain’s Mikel Merino ended Portugal’s 2026 World Cup campaign in Dallas. 

Monday’s match was a game of few chances, although the crowd in Dallas Stadium never lost their roaring energy. Throughout the game, a fervor seemed to overtake the crowd each time Ronaldo touched the ball, which wasn’t often. 

Ticket prices for the match were one of the highest in Dallas yet. Get-in prices peaked close to $3,000 a seat at the end of June, before falling to a still-whopping $1,600 the morning of the match. As of July 5, we noted that standing-room only tickets were selling for over $1,000. 

But for the Ronaldo superfans, that price was well worth it. 

“I can’t watch football sitting down anyways,” said one fan wearing a Portugal kit whilst white knuckling the railing of the stadium’s standing zone. 

Spain’s single goal was scored during stoppage time, leading to the tournament’s latest last-minute win. Fresh off the 1-0 loss, Ronaldo confirmed to reporters that this years’ World Cup tournament was his last. Twenty years come to a close. 

“I’m sad to leave the World Cup this way,” Ronaldo told reporters after the match. “I gave it my all, and I leave with a clear conscience.” 

He added that “there’s time to think” about what the rest of his career will look like moving forward. 

Although Monday’s match closed the curtain on one star’s journey, Spain’s win ensured that a member of soccer’s new generation will have at least one more game on the World Cup stage. At only 18 years old, Lamine Yamal is regarded as one of the greatest players in the world, and in his first World Cup tournament, has already notched a goal and a “Man of the Match” title. 

Yamal had a few chances at the goal in the game’s first half, but ultimately struggled to take off against Portugal’s defense. 

After the game clock hit zero on Monday, Yamal approached an emotional Ronaldo for an embrace. For one, the hunt for the World Cup trophy has ended. For the other, hope remains alive. 

Spain now progresses to a quarter-final match against Belgium, where the winner will go on to the final four.