Cristiano Ronaldo Backs Spain to Reach World Cup Final After Portugal Exit
- Cristiano Ronaldo backed Spain to reach the FIFA World Cup final after Portugal's elimination
- The Portugal captain confirmed the tournament was his final World Cup appearance
- Spain advanced to the quarter-finals and remain on course for a potential clash with France
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Cristiano Ronaldo believes Spain have what it takes to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup final after they ended Portugal's hopes with a dramatic 1-0 victory in the Round of 16.
The Portugal captain had hoped to lift the World Cup in what he confirmed was his sixth and final appearance at the tournament.
Instead, his dream ended in heartbreak as Spain's late winner sent the European champions into the quarter-finals and left Ronaldo in tears.
Source: Getty Images
Ronaldo reflects on Portugal's World Cup campaign
Portugal endured an inconsistent tournament before their elimination.
They finished second in Group K after failing to beat DR Congo and Colombia but recovered to overcome Croatia in a difficult Round of 32 encounter.
Their knockout clash against long-time rivals Spain appeared destined for extra time before Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino struck an injury-time winner to settle the contest.
After the defeat, Ronaldo confirmed that the 2026 edition would be his final FIFA World Cup but insisted he would not make any immediate decisions regarding his international future.
"I don't make decisions in the heat of the moment, nor do I want to detract from what was done at the World Cup with a personal decision," Ronaldo told the Portuguese media.
Ronaldo tips Spain for deep World Cup run
Reflecting on Portugal's campaign, Ronaldo admitted his team had fallen short of expectations but praised the quality of the opponents who ended their journey.
"The overall assessment of the World Cup is that we could have done better, but we were eliminated by a team that will be in the final or close to it," he said.
Spain also experienced an inconsistent group stage before rediscovering their best form in the knockout rounds, defeating Austria convincingly before edging past Portugal.
Luis de la Fuente's side will now face Belgium in the quarter-finals, with victory potentially setting up a blockbuster semi-final showdown against tournament favourites France.
Ronaldo's comments underlined the respect he has for Spain and suggested he believes the team that eliminated Portugal has the quality to challenge for the biggest prize in international football.
Source: YEN.com.gh
