On a humid afternoon in Dallas, Cristiano Ronaldo's illustrious FIFA World Cup career came to an end as Portugal lost to Spain in the round of 16 on Monday.

The 41-year-old confirmed his farewell after the match: "I gave it my all. I did my best, and I'm leaving with a clear conscience. It was my last World Cup, yes, but I'll now have time to reflect and be with my family. I won't be making any rash decisions."

Ronaldo stopped short of announcing his retirement from international football entirely, but he is expected to continue playing for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, with whom he recently won the league title.

Ronaldo is the first and only player to score at six different World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026), netting a brace against Uzbekistan in this year's group stage.

He is Portugal's most-capped player with 27 tournament appearances and 11 goals. His penalty against Croatia made him the oldest goalscorer in World Cup knockout history at 41 years and 147 days.

Fighting back tears, Ronaldo applauded the crowd and slowly walked off the pitch clutching the captain's armband. Though he never lifted the World Cup trophy, his career remains one of the most distinguished in football history.

Source: www.aljazeera.com