Spain edge Portugal late to end Ronaldo's World Cup dream

Spain secured a late 1-0 victory over Portugal, with substitute Mikel Merino scoring the decisive goal in injury time to eliminate Cristiano Ronaldo and his team from the FIFA World Cup. The win propels Spain into the quarter-finals, where they will meet either the United States or Belgium.

The highly anticipated match, held at the air-conditioned Lumen Field, failed to live up to expectations for much of its duration. Despite the presence of stars like Ronaldo and Spain's young prodigy Lamine Yamal, the game remained goalless and appeared headed for extra time. A somber moment before kickoff honored the late Portuguese forward Diogo Jota.

Spain had early chances, with Mikel Oyarzabal missing a clear opportunity and Lamine Yamal testing the Portuguese goalkeeper. Ronaldo, playing in what he confirmed would be his final World Cup appearance, was a peripheral figure in attack. Portugal also came close, hitting the crossbar with a shot that deflected off a Spanish defender.

The game's only goal arrived in the first minute of injury time. Ferran Torres provided the assist for Merino, who calmly finished to settle the contest. The victory means Spain, a pre-tournament favorite, remains undefeated and has yet to concede a goal in the tournament, continuing their quest for a second World Cup title.

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this would be his last dance on football’s biggest stage.