@gulfmoments: Six World Cups. 233 international caps — a world record. And not a single World Cup title. Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, walked off the pitch in Dallas after Portugal's 1-0 defeat to Spain with tears in his eyes — and the weight of a dream that never quite came true. "I gave it my all, I gave my best," he said. "And I leave with a clear conscience. That's football, that's the life of a footballer. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose." He was a peripheral figure in the match, which was decided by substitute Mikel Merino's late strike. Ronaldo's 11 World Cup goals are a Portugal record, but pale against Messi's 20 and Mbappé's 19. Only one of those 11 came in a knockout match — a penalty against Croatia last week, which he dedicated to late teammate Diogo Jota. On his greatest achievement with Portugal, Ronaldo had no doubt: "Before Cristiano, Portugal hadn't won any titles. The biggest title I won with the national team was in 2016, which for me has the same significance as the World Cup, honestly." He remains at Al Nassr for at least one more season. As for everything else — "I have time to think, be with my family, not make decisions in the heat of the moment." . . . Ronaldo, Portugal, World Cup, FIFA

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Tuesday 07 July 2026 05:22:09 GMT