Mikel Merino struck deep into stoppage time to give Spain a dramatic 1-0 victory over Portugal on Monday, booking La Roja's place in the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and bringing Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup career to an end.
Merino, who came on as a substitute in the 85th minute, scored in the opening minute of second-half added time. After winning a free kick, he quickly restarted play, continued his run into the penalty area and calmly finished from Ferran Torres' pass beyond goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
The victory sent Spain into the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since lifting the trophy in 2010. They will face either the United States or Belgium on Friday in Inglewood, California.
For Portugal, the defeat marked the end of an era as 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo made what is expected to be his final World Cup appearance. The all-time leader in men's international football with 146 goals in 233 matches scored three goals during this tournament but found few opportunities against Spain's disciplined defense.
Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon extended his remarkable run without conceding a goal to 609 consecutive World Cup minutes, as La Roja became the first team to record six straight clean sheets in the tournament's history.
Ronaldo's best opportunity came in the 37th minute after Joao Felix's header rebounded into his path. The veteran forward attempted an acrobatic backheel effort, but Simon recovered in time to make the save.
Portugal pressed for an equalizer throughout the closing stages, with Bernardo Silva coming closest when his header drifted narrowly over the crossbar during stoppage time.
The latest chapter in the long-standing rivalry between the Iberian neighbors was a far tighter affair than their memorable 3-3 draw at the 2018 World Cup, when Ronaldo scored a hat-trick. Spain also defeated Portugal 1-0 in the Round of 16 on their way to winning the 2010 World Cup.