Portugal’s forward #07 Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after Spain’s first goal scored by midfielder #06 Mikel Merino (unseen) during the 2026 World Cup round of 16 football match between Portugal and Spain at the Dallas Stadium in Arlington on July 6, 2026. (Photo by Aric Becker / AFP)
Substitute Mikel Merino scored a late winner to put Spain in the quarter-finals with a 1-0 victory over Portugal and end Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career on Monday.
The European champions will face the United States — the only one of the co-hosts remaining — or Belgium on Friday in Los Angeles.
In front of an expectant crowd of 70,649 at the air-conditioned home of the Dallas Cowboys, a match that on paper promised so much failed to really deliver.
Extra time looked certain, before fellow substitute Ferran Torres slipped in Merino to settle the contest in the first minute of injury time.
