Микел Мериногийн тоглолтын төгсгөлд оруулсан ганц гоол Испанийг хагас шигшээд шалгаруулж, Кристиано Роналдогийн сүүлчийн дэлхийн аварга шалгаруулах тэмцээнийг өндөрлүүллээ.
Долоодугаар сарын 6-ны өдөр болсон энэхүү тоглолт үндсэн цагт тэнцээгээр өндөрлөх нь тодорхой харагдаж байсан ч, 90 дэх минутад Ферран Торресын дамжуулалтаар Микел Мерино гоолдсоноор Испани 1:0-ээр хожлоо. Энэхүү ялалт нь Испанийн шигшээ багийг АНУ болон Бельгийн тоглолтын ялагчтай учраа тааруулахад хүргэв. 41 настай Кристиано Роналдогийн хувьд энэ нь түүний оролцсон сүүлчийн дэлхийн аварга байсан бөгөөд талбайг нулимстай орхисон нь түүний карьерын томоохон үе дуусгавар болсныг илтгэв.
Испанийн бат бөх хамгаалалт энэ удаагийн тэмцээнд нэг ч гоол алдаагүй үзүүлэлтээ хадгалсаар байна. Хаалгач Унай Симон болон хамгаалагчдын бүрэлдэхүүн Португалийн довтолгоог амжилттай сааруулж, ялангуяа Родригийн төвд үзүүлсэн тоглолт өрсөлдөгчийн аюултай довтолгоонуудыг үр дүнгүй болгож байв. Португалийн хувьд Роналдод оноосон дамжуулалтууд хангалтгүй байсан нь багийн довтолгооны шугамыг сулруулж, тоглолтын туршид сөрөг довтолгоонууд нь амжилт олоогүй юм.
Луис де ла Фуэнтэгийн удирдсан Испани тоглолтыг бүрэн хянаж, бөмбөг эзэмшилтээр илүүрхсэн ч гоол оруулахад хүндрэлтэй байв. Гэсэн хэдий ч тэвчээртэй тоглолтын үр дүнд сэлгээгээр орж ирсэн тоглогчдын хоршил ялалтыг авчирлаа. Испанийн шигшээ ийнхүү дэлхийн аварга шалгаруулах тэмцээний дараагийн шатанд шалгарч, цомын төлөөх өрсөлдөөнөө үргэлжлүүлж байна.
Дэлгэрэнгүй эх сурвалжийг харах
Эх сурвалжийг нээх ↓
Spain ended Portugal’s World Cup adventure and Cristiano Ronaldo’s career on football’s most gilded stage.
Mikel Merino’s precise finish in the first minute of stoppage time sealed a 1-0 victory after a game of few chances looked certain to be heading to extra-time. Spain now face the winners of today’s game between the U.S. and Belgium.
Ronaldo, 41, said before this game that this would be his final World Cup and, if that is the case, it was a muted farewell for one of football’s greatest of all time. There were tears from Ronaldo as he left the field at the end of the game.
Here,The Athletic‘swriters analyse the big talking points.
How did Ronaldo’s World Cup end with a whimper?
The show is over.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2026 World Cup dream ended the way it started, with serious questions around whether this was a tournament too far for a man who looked what he is: a 41-year-old trying to push back the hands of time.
He became the first player to score in six World Cups, but there’s little else that will be recalled fondly about his presence in these finals. Two goals against Uzbekistan, who lost all three group matches, and a penalty against Croatia was as good as it got for Ronaldo. He was peripheral against Spain and that feels like the story of his World Cup.
Ronaldo had only 12 touches in the opening 45 minutes, which was nine fewer than the next lowest player on the pitch, the Spain centre forward Mikel Oyarzabal.
Cristiano Ronaldo had a frustrating day (Aric Becker / AFP via Getty Images)
Naturally, that leads to a lot being made of a little inside the stadium. For example, when Joao Felix nodded Pedro Neto’s inswinging cross back across goal, and Ronaldo flicked the ball goalbound, there were gasps from the crowd. In reality, it was an easy save for Unai Simon to make. Positioned beyond the near post and stretching every sinew, Ronaldo was unable to get enough purchase on the ball.
An earlier attempt was hit with more conviction after a stepover created half a yard of space, but the angle was always against Ronaldo.
At times, he was unable to conceal his frustration There was a run in behind early in the second half but Joao Neves, much to Ronaldo’s annoyance, turned down the pass. Shortly afterwards, Ronaldo moved towards the centre of the penalty area and Joao Cancelo stood up a cross toward the back post. Then, later in the game, Ronaldo questioned why Pedro Neto passed him the ball, rather than choosing to carry it upfield, during a counter-attack that fizzled out. Quite simply, it didn’t work.
Stuart James
How did Spain break the deadlock?
Let’s be honest, this was a cagey encounter, as two of the highest quality teams in the tournament largely cancelled each other out. Yamal struggled to weave his way into the penalty area with the ball at his feet, while the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Ronaldo struggled to find spaces to impact the game.
The decisive goal eventually came as two substitutes linked up. It was a lapse of concentration from Portugal, who reacted slowly to a quick free-kick, allowing the lively Ferran Torres to receive on the edge of the box. He controlled, spun, and slipped a lovely ball through to Mikel Merino, who made a trademark late run into the box. The finish was assured, dispatched in the near corner with the confidence of a No 9 — where, of course, Merino has played on occasion for his club.
U.S. readers watch here:
SPAIN TAKES THE LEAD ON THE STROKE OF STOPPAGE TIME 🇪🇸
Mikel Merino is the hero! pic.twitter.com/6pVqi1itwF
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 6, 2026
Spain are still to concede at this tournament, and though it wasn’t vintage from Luis de la Fuente’s side, they showed their ability to stay in gruelling games and click into gear at the crucial moment.
Stuart James
Why is Spain’s defence so strong?
Spain kicked off as the only team at this World Cup yet to concede a goal, and their reliability at the back was clear again today.
La Roja’s strength does not come from sitting deep or defending in numbers; instead they look to control possession and territory. That is what happened when Austria had zero shots on target in the last 16, allowing Spain’s goalkeeper Unai Simon to set a new all-time World Cup record of 519 minutes unbeaten (going back to two games at the 2018 World Cup, too).
Ronaldo did get two shots on target during the opening half, the most dangerous a stinging drive which was parried behind by Simon, who has retained his place under head coach Luis De la Fuente despite the qualities of Arsenal’s Premier League winner David Raya and Barcelona’s La Liga champion Joan Garcia.
Unai Simon leaps high to deny Cristiano Ronaldo (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Centre-backs Pau Cubarsi and Aymeric Laporte were always alert, while full-back Marc Cucurella and Pedro Porro were positionally sound. They were all helped by holding midfielder Rodri, who looked as sharp and strong as he has for some time. The Manchester City man regularly read the danger and nipped in to dispossess a Portugal player who threatened to get close to Spain’s goal — including neatly timed challenges on Ronaldo, Joao Felix and Joao Neves.
The one moment Spain’s defence were not so sharp came when Portugal had a two-on-one advantage to take a short corner, which they worked really well for Nuno Mendes to fire a shot which flicked off the head of Pedro Porro and smashed off the crossbar.
Will Spain’s patient approach pay off?
This was a typical Spanish big tournament performance in that they generally appeared in control of the game, but were unable to convert their apparent dominance into a lead on the scoreboard.
Rodri, Pedri and Dani Olmo regularly worked some interesting triangles around the ball in the centre of the park, keeping the Portuguese at arms’ length, but there was just not enough cutting edge near Diogo Costa’s goal.
The Portuguese keeper did save well from Lamine Yamal and Alex Baena early in the first half, but was generally not worked enough. Three times Spain put a really dangerous ball across the opposition six-yard box and nobody was there. Mikel Oyarzabal was again really useful at linking the play deep, but unlike against Austria and Saudi Arabia earlier in the tournament he was not in the right place at the right time when needed.
Back in 2010, Spain were able to turn their dominance into narrow victories, winning all four knock-out games 1-0 on the way to winning their only World Cup.
Diogo Costa makes a rare save (Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)
At the two most recent WC tournaments they have exited in really frustrating circumstances, losing on penalties to Russia and Morocco after being unable to find a way through packed defences.
That will have lead to nerves among Spanish fans and players as the minutes ticked past here and the game remained scoreless despite La Roja appearing well on top.
Spain’s patience this time paid off, with a beautifully worked move between Fabian Ruiz, Rodri, Ferran Torres and Mikel Merino, the Arsenal midfielder applying a cool low finish to put Spain ahead.
Dermot Corrigan
Would USMNT have a chance against Spain?
It would be unlike any challenge that the USMNT have faced at this World Cup.
Spain have averaged 65.5 per cent of the ball across their five games so far, a team packed with technical ability and creative talent. Lamine Yamal is arguably the world’s most dangerous winger, while the likes of Dani Olmo, Alex Baena and Pedri are specialists in tight spaces, able to move the ball into the box with neat touches and clever passes through the lines.
Even if they were to keep Spain out, Pochettino’s side would need to break down a Spanish defence that have yet to concede this tournament.
A spirited Cape Verde performance on the opening matchday proved that Spain can be frustrated, but it would be an almighty task.
Thom Harris
