Portugal’s World Cup 2026 campaign ended in heartbreak, and the consequences have already been felt at a higher level. Just hours after Portugal had lost to Spain in the Round of 16 by a single goal in the final 1-0, Roberto Martinez, coach, stepped down as Portugal’s head coach and said the team needed “a new voice, a new leader” to try and move forward.
The decision comes at the end of Martinez's tenure as coach, which began in 2023, and as a new chapter in Portuguese football is beginning (with the likely last World Cup appearance of Cristiano Ronaldo).
Portugal’s hopes of winning their first-ever FIFA World Cup were crushed by a late goal by Spain's Mikel Merino, which sent the European champions into the quarter-finals. Cristiano Ronaldo, who had told us this would be his last World Cup, had already been told this would be his last in football.
Martinez took responsibility after the elimination and said fresh leadership would be best for the squad going forward. Reuters and Portuguese media reports suggest that the experienced coach Jorge Jesus is most likely to replace him.
He is very familiar with Portuguese football and has already been involved in a number of successful spells with Benfica and Sporting CP. More recently, he led Al Nassr to the Saudi Pro League title with Cristiano Ronaldo, and then left the Saudi Arabian club in May. His affiliation with Ronaldo and his managerial experience will allow him to lead Portugal into one of its best times.
Although Ronaldo has ruled out playing in another FIFA World Cup, he stopped short of announcing his retirement from international football and refused to say he would not retire from the game. The defeat to Spain in the final game was not so much a big deal to him, but he said he would not be making any “rash decisions” on his future with the national team and he may have a chance to play for Portugal in other competitions in the future.
Ronaldo's World Cup experience has been a long and winding journey, but also one of extraordinary longevity and mixed emotions. Since making his tournament debut in 2006, Portugal has only reached the semi-finals once and exited in the Round of 16 twice, suffered a group-stage elimination in 2014, and once again fell in the Round of 16 in 2026.
Although the World Cup title never came for Ronaldo, he kept rewriting football history during the tournament. In the Round of 32 against Croatia, he became the first player to ever be in a FIFA World Cup knockout game at age 41. He was also the oldest goalscorer in World Cup knockout history after he struck in that game and finally scored his first goal in the knockout stages of the competition.
Earlier in the tournament, Ronaldo became the first footballer to score in six different FIFA World Cups. His two goals against Uzbekistan took him to 10 goals and saw him overtake Portuguese legend Eusebio as the all-time leading scorer for Portugal in World Cup history, finishing his World Cup career with 11 goals.
Despite those individual achievements, Portugal struggled to find consistency throughout the competition. They started with a disappointing 1-1 draw against DR Congo but bounced back with an emphatic 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan, where Ronaldo scored twice. Portugal had a goalless draw against Colombia to finish the group stage before defeating Croatia in the Round of 32.
But their journey came to a halt against Spain. Ronaldo fought hard but could not inspire another famous performance, and Mikel Merino's late winner broke Portugal’s dream of lifting the World Cup for the first time.
Ronaldo’s performance in his last World Cup also reflected his brilliance and frustration. He scored three goals in five games at the 2026 tournament but also set an unwanted record of 17 shots in the competition without creating a single chance for a teammate, the highest number at a World Cup.
Portuguese football is at a crossroads today, as Roberto Martinez steps down and Jorge Jesus has already been tipped to take charge. Now Portugal is getting ready for life after one of its greatest generations. Whether Cristiano Ronaldo will continue to play for Portugal outside the World Cup remains uncertain, but his legacy is well established.
He was the first player to score in six World Cups and to surpass age-related records that could continue for years, but Ronaldo once again showed that he is still one of football’s greatest icons. The World Cup trophy never did get into his hands, but his impact on Portuguese football and the world game will be felt long after his final match on the sport’s biggest stage.
