Spanish media were in brutal agreement over Cristiano Ronaldo after he burst into tears following Portugal's World Cup exit at the hands of Spain. Mikel Merino's added-time winner settled a drab last-16 clash between the Iberian rivals, ending the 41-year-old's final World Cup with a whimper.
Scathing Spanish Headlines
While Ronaldo is respected in Spain for his exploits with Real Madrid, the country's media agreed that he had become a hindrance rather than a help to his national team. ABC was particularly scathing, calling him 'largely unnoticed' and a 'shadow of his former self,' listing his shortcomings: 'Lacking speed, dribbling and bite. At times, he didn't even seem to know what to do with the ball.'
La Razon said his 'participation in the game was limited' and highlighted his lack of movement: 'Over the years, his range of action on the field has considerably reduced, and he no longer possesses the explosiveness that characterised much of his career.' The outlet noted he was 'the player who covered the fewest kilometres and never came close to truly troubling Unai Simon.'
Rating the Legend
AS simply asked: 'What about Cristiano? No sign of him.' Marca gave him just one star in their player ratings and said: 'CR7, before becoming CR1000, has reduced his area of operation.'
Portuguese media was kinder to the fading great. Summing up the end of an era, A Bola said: 'Ronaldo's farewell to the world's biggest competition ends up being this one, marked by sadness.'
Ronaldo's Response
While he has played his last World Cup match—he will be 45 when Portugal co-hosts the 2030 tournament—he looks set to play on. Reflecting on his country's exit, he said: 'I'm sad to leave the World Cup like this. But as I said in the press conference, I gave everything. I gave my best, and I leave with a clear conscience.'
'It was my last World Cup, yes, but now I'll have time to think and be with my family. I don't make decisions in the heat of the moment, nor do I want to shift the focus from what was done at the World Cup because of a personal decision.'
