Merino breaks Portugal hearts late to send Spain into the last eight and end Ronaldo’s World Cup dream.
Substitute Mikel Merino scored a dramatic late winner as Spain edged Portugal 1-0 to book their place in the World Cup quarter-finals on Monday, bringing an emotional end to Cristiano Ronaldo’s illustrious World Cup career.
The reigning European champions will face either the United States—the only remaining co-host nation—or Belgium in Friday’s quarter-final in Los Angeles.
In front of a packed crowd of 70,649 at the air-conditioned home of the Dallas Cowboys, a blockbuster showdown that promised fireworks struggled to live up to expectations.
With extra time seemingly inevitable, substitute Ferran Torres delivered a perfectly weighted pass for fellow substitute Mikel Merino, who fired home a dramatic winner in the first minute of stoppage time to settle the contest.
The defeat marked a bitter end to 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career, with the Portugal captain appearing to fight back tears as the final whistle confirmed his nation’s exit.
Spain captain Rodri hailed his side’s composure and maturity after they secured a dramatic late victory over Portugal.
“If anyone thinks we’ll progress without suffering, they’re mistaken,” Rodri said. “We knew we had to be patient and wait for the right moment, and it came. They also had chances to win the game, but we stayed composed,” added the Manchester City midfielder.
Rodri reserved special praise for match-winner Mikel Merino, who had been on the pitch for just six minutes before scoring the decisive goal.”He’s a sensational player… one that I love,” the Spain captain said of the midfielder.
For Cristiano Ronaldo, the defeat marked the end of an extraordinary World Cup journey. The Portugal captain, now playing his club football in Saudi Arabia, confirmed on the eve of the match that the tournament would be his final appearance on football’s biggest stage.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game, the 41-year-old has yet to reveal when he will retire from international football, but he struggled to make an impact as Portugal’s campaign came to a heartbreaking end.
The Iberian rivals entered the last-16 clash unbeaten, but while Portugal had looked vulnerable at times, Spain had been imperious, reaching the knockout stage without conceding a single goal.
Among the favourites to lift the trophy before the tournament, Spain extended that remarkable defensive record by keeping yet another clean sheet.
Despite their rich footballing pedigree, Spain have won the World Cup only once, triumphing in 2010, while Portugal’s best finish remains third place in 1966.The blockbuster encounter was billed as a meeting of two generations, with Cristiano Ronaldo, nearing the end of a glittering career, facing Barcelona’s 18-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal, one of football’s brightest young stars.
In the end, however, neither Ronaldo nor Yamal managed to produce the decisive moments many had anticipated.
A sombre mood briefly descended over the stadium before kickoff as a black-and-white image of the late Portugal forward Diogo Jota was displayed on the giant screen overlooking the pitch, prompting a respectful silence from the crowd.
Spain squandered a golden opportunity to take an early lead inside the opening 10 minutes when Dani Olmo slipped a pass through to Mikel Oyarzabal, but with only goalkeeper Diogo Costa to beat, the forward dragged his effort well wide.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo then threatened at the other end, forcing Unai Simon into a sharp save from a tight angle as he searched for his fourth goal of the tournament.
Spain gradually took control of the contest, with Lamine Yamal and Alex Baena forcing Diogo Costa into two fine saves in quick succession, the latter drawing a superb fingertip stop from the Portugal goalkeeper.
Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, was greeted by both cheers and jeers throughout the match but remained largely on the fringes in the central attacking role he now occupies in the twilight of his career.
Portugal finished the first half strongly and came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock when Spain defender Pedro Porro inadvertently headed Nuno Mendes’ fierce effort onto his own crossbar.
Yamal endured a frustrating evening against the impressive Mendes, but Portugal suffered a major setback in the 56th minute when the Paris Saint-Germain full-back was forced off with an injury.
The match was crying out for a moment of inspiration, and Ronaldo—well known to Spain from his years at Real Madrid—showed his frustration by throwing his arms up after another misplaced pass.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez made two double substitutions in the 71st and 83rd minutes but opted to keep Ronaldo on the pitch as his side searched for a breakthrough.
In a tense and cautious encounter, it was Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino who produced the decisive moment, scoring a composed late winner that contrasted sharply with the cagey nature of much of the game.
