Ronaldo's teary World Cup exit highlights Portugal's struggles
Cristiano Ronaldo, at 41, was largely peripheral as Portugal were eliminated by Spain in the World Cup last 16, exposing a blunt, disjointed side that failed to reignite his grand farewell. Coach Roberto Martinez kept Ronaldo on the pitch to the end while teammates such as Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha underperformed, and Goncalo Ramos made a late impact off the bench, underscoring that Portugal’s failure went beyond one player and reflected wider squad issues.