Portugal were knocked out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup as Spain beat them 1-0 to end Cristiano Ronaldo's dream of lifting the trophy.
Mikel Merino came off the bench to score in the 91st minute as the Selecao das Quinas were eliminated in the Round of 16 while Spain marched into the quarter-finals.
Billed as the most high-profile contest of the round between the European champions and UEFA Nations League winners, it turned out to be a game of few chances.
Spain dominated while Portugal aimed to hit them on the break. Ronaldo mustered two shots on target in the first half but both were saved comfortably by Unai Simon.
Nuno Mendes came the closest to scoring for Portugal when he rattled the crossbar with a rasping effort. However, the full-back went off injured early in the second half, which proved to be a turning point in the match, as La Roja began dominating Portugal in their own half and saw a few efforts go wide.
Their persistence paid off in the added minutes when substitutes Ferran Torres and Mikel Merino combined to unlock the Portuguese defense in the 91st minute.
Merino won a free-kick near the box and played it quickly to Torres, who slid the ball through two Portugal defenders for the Arsenal player to break the offside trap and produce a composed finish beyond Costa.
Portugal huffed and puffed in search of a late equalizer but it never came as 41-year-old Ronaldo's dream of winning the FIFA World Cup was officially put to rest. Spain take on Belgium in the quarter-finals.
Here are the player ratings for Portugal.
A commanding presence inside the box for Portugal, Costa never hesitated to come off his line to clear any incoming dangers and registered three saves in the game too. Too bad he was beaten in stoppage-time.
He was guilty of losing possession rather easily and made some poor decisions on the ball too. For a player of his technical quality, Cancelo was a huge let down.
He demonstrated his aerial prowess with a series of aerial clearances while making a vital block to hamper a potential break for Spain in the first half. But the Manchester City ace was beaten by Torres' pass in stoppage-time.
Veiga complemented Dias well at the heart of Portugal's defense. He was positionally aware and made five clearances in the game to demonstrate excellent vision.
A complete menace down the left with a telling impact at both ends of the pitch. He rattled the crossbar in the first half too. Unfortunately, his night was cut short early into the second half with a knock.
Vitinha progressed the ball forward several times to drive Portugal up the pitch as the PSG star showed great intent. He tracked back in defensive moments too.
The midfielder was involved defensively, looking to nip Spain's attacks in the bud by jumping into tackles and chasing them down like a shadow.
Another disappointing game from Neto, who offered no real value on the wings offensively. He was beaten to the pace a few times and lost the ball cheaply one time that gave Spain a chance at goal.
A creative magician for Manchester United, Fernandes once again cut a pale shadow of his club self for Portugal. He lost possession way too many times and was no threat to Spain whatsoever.
Among Portugal's brightest spark tonight, Felix worked hard on and off the ball. He was vital to winning back possession and contributed heavily in defense too. The former Barcelona man went off for Rafael Leao as Portugal sought to add more pace on the flanks.
The Portugal captain mustered two shots in the first half but neither were fully venomous enough to test Spain properly. His World Cup dream is over.
Went up against Yamal and came away with flying colors.
Recovered the ball a few times.
Looked more dangerous even in the limited timespan than most of Portugal's forwards on the field today.
Very little involvement from the young gun.
Went into the books for a foul but came really close to scoring late on.
Quick Links