He said it himself two days earlier: "This will be my last World Cup - God willing, tomorrow is not my last game."
Tomorrow came. And for Cristiano Ronaldo, it was.
Portugal's World Cup run ended Monday night in Arlington, Texas, after Spain's Mikel Merino scored in the first minute of second-half stoppage time, sending the European champions through 1-0 in the Round of 16. Ronaldo, visibly emotional, wiped away tears as he applauded the crowd at AT&T Stadium at full time.
It closes the book on a World Cup career that began in 2006 - six tournaments, 27 appearances (second only to Lionel Messi's 30), and a record no one else holds: the first player, man or woman, to score in six different World Cup editions. He finishes with three goals in this year's tournament and ten for his World Cup career, still Portugal's all-time leading scorer in the competition.
But the moment that lingers isn't the scoreline. It's what Ronaldo said before it.
Asked in a pre-match press conference to reflect on 23 years of international football, the 41-year-old turned philosophical - and pointed straight to his faith. "People in Portugal have faith, they never fail us, they're always on our side," he said. "God has given me everything, more than I ever expected." He added that whatever the result, he'd walk away with "a clear conscience" because he'd given football everything he had.
Portugal head coach Roberto Martínez didn't hold back either, calling Ronaldo "an exemplary captain" and "a role model" - not just for the goals, but for how he carried the team through scrutiny that followed him for over two decades.
Ronaldo has not confirmed whether Monday's match was also his last appearance for the Portuguese national team altogether. For now, the door on international retirement remains open - even if the World Cup chapter has closed.
Related Article: Cristiano Ronaldo Scores Twice at 41, Breaks a World Cup Record No One Has Ever Touched: Says This About God
