馃嚦馃嚞NigeriaWest Africa
Cristiano Ronaldo reflects on World Cup exit, plans future decisions
via Punch Nigeria1 min read
Cristiano Ronaldo stated he will not rush into decisions about his future following Portugal's elimination from the World Cup by Spain. The 41-year-old, who confirmed this was his final World Cup, mentioned he would take time to consider his next steps and be with his family. Ronaldo, the Portugal captain, acknowledged the nature of football, where wins and losses are part of the game. He expressed that he is leaving the World Cup stage with a clear conscience, highlighting Portugal's 2016 Euros victory as a significant achievement. Ronaldo, a European champion with Portugal, never won a World Cup, with his best performance being a semi-final appearance 20 years ago.
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Must ReadThe World Cup Golden Boot race is exceptionally close, with Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, and Erling Haaland all tied at seven goals each as the tournament enters the quarter-finals. Mbappe took the lead by converting a penalty in France's 1-0 win over Paraguay. Messi had previously set the pace with a goal against Cape Verde in Argentina's extra-time victory, extending his record as the World Cup's all-time leading scorer. Haaland joined the trio by scoring twice in Norway's 2-1 win against Brazil. This marks the first time in World Cup history that three players have reached seven or more goals at this stage. If the tie persists, assists will be the first tiebreaker, followed by minutes played, with Mbappe currently holding an advantage in assists. Harry Kane is one goal behind with six, having scored a penalty in England's 3-2 win against Mexico. Other players with four goals include Jude Bellingham, Ousmane Dembele, and Mikel Oyarzabal. The Golden Glove race for the best goalkeeper is also competitive, with Mike Maignan leading, having conceded only two goals in France's first five matches. Emiliano Martinez of Argentina and Unai Simon of Spain are also strong contenders.
Must ReadThe United States, Mexico, and Canada, joint hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, have all been eliminated from the tournament. The USA was the last to exit, following a 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the Round of 16 on Monday in Seattle. Canada was the first co-host to be eliminated, losing 3-0 to Morocco on Saturday, July 4, with Azzedine Ounahi scoring twice for Morocco. Mexico followed on Sunday, suffering a 3-2 defeat to England at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, where Jude Bellingham scored twice and Harry Kane converted a penalty. Mexico's coach, Javier Aguirre, is expected to be replaced by his assistant, Rafael Marquez. The US elimination came after a 4-1 loss to Belgium at Lumen Field in Seattle. The 2026 World Cup is the first to be jointly hosted by three nations and features an expanded 48-team format. The tournament, which began on June 11, is being held across 16 cities and is scheduled to conclude with the final on July 19. The remaining quarter-finalists are all non-host nations, including Morocco, France, Norway, Spain, Belgium, England, Argentina, and either Egypt or Switzerland and Colombia.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo stated that his Euro 2016 triumph with Portugal holds the same significance for him as a World Cup title, following Portugal's elimination from the World Cup by Spain. Spain defeated Portugal 1-0 in Arlington, Texas, with a stoppage-time goal from Mikel Merino, ending Ronaldo's sixth and final World Cup campaign. Ronaldo, 41, expressed no regrets about how his final World Cup concluded, emphasizing his overall trophy haul with Portugal, which includes the Euro 2016 and two UEFA Nations League titles. He confirmed that this was his last World Cup appearance but did not explicitly rule out future involvement with the national team. Ronaldo finishes his World Cup career with 27 appearances and 11 goals across six editions, with his deepest run being the semi-finals in 2006. Spain will now advance to the quarter-finals.