Dallas, AT&T Stadium – Portugal held firm for 90 minutes. Then Mikel Merino arrived. The substitute scored the only goal of the match in the first minute of stoppage time to secure Spain a 1-0 victory in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup. For Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo, the elimination marks the end of an era.
Goalless first half, mounting tension
Both sides set up in identical systems: 4-2-3-1 on either flank. Portugal started in disciplined fashion in front of what felt like a home crowd in Dallas, Texas, conceding little space and relying on a compact defensive shape. Spain, the reigning European champions and a side that had reached the round of 16 with three wins and one draw, enjoyed the greater share of possession but could find no way through the Portuguese midfield. Lamine Yamal – one week away from his 19th birthday – produced Spain's most dangerous moments without, however, manufacturing the decisive chance.
Substitutions shape the second half
The game shifted after the break. Portugal responded early: in the 56th minute, Semedo replaced the injured Mendes on the left flank. In the 71st minute, Portugal introduced two fresh legs at once – Leao on for Joao Felix, and Dalot for Cancelo. Spain answered in the 75th minute with Ferran Torres replacing Baena. In the 85th minute, Spain made a double change of their own: Ruiz came on for Pedri, and Mikel Merino replaced Olmo – a decision that would prove decisive.
Merino strikes – Ronaldo takes his bow
In the 89th minute, Bernardo Silva was shown a yellow card, leaving Portugal on a knife-edge. Two minutes later, Merino made his mark: the substitute burst into the left side of the penalty area in the 91st minute and slotted low past Diogo Costa – assisted by Ferran Torres – to make it 1-0. Portugal had no answer. Veiga was booked in the 94th minute, followed by Ferran Torres in the 98th – but the contest had already been settled.
The defeat brings the curtain down on Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup story. The Portuguese forward had declared before the tournament that the 2026 World Cup would be his last. Ronaldo, who made his World Cup debut in 2006 and in this tournament became the first player in history to score at six different World Cups, leaves the grandest stage without the title he craved.
Spain advance to the quarter-finals, where they will face the winner of the tie between Belgium and the United States. The 2026 World Cup is being staged for the first time with 48 teams spread across 12 four-team groups – the twelve group winners, twelve runners-up and the eight best third-placed sides progressed, totalling 32 teams. The knockout round began at the round of 32 this time around, meaning the round of 16 was already the second knockout round of this expanded format.
