ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) 鈥� Cristiano Ronaldo heard the cheers while walking off the pitch after his for Portugal. The stoic look on his face and his brief wave acknowledging the fans showed this wasn’t the desired outcome.
The sixth and final World Cup for the 41-year-old superstar ended with a in a Round of 16 game on Monday. Ronaldo was denied a goal in the first half when record-setting goalkeeper Unai Sim贸n .
Ronaldo, the only player to score in six World Cups in a row and the career leader in international goals with 146, took three shots against Spain.
Two of those were on target, including the one on which Sim贸n was still in midair when he reached back to grab the ball with both hands. Ronaldo got off a backward kick with his right foot after a header by teammate Joao Felix bounced off Sim贸n鈥檚 shoulder.
On the day before the round of 16 game, Ronaldo spoke to reporters for about 25 minutes and said he hoped it wouldn’t be his last match and wanted 鈥渢o enjoy what will be my last World Cup to the fullest.鈥�
The deepest Ronaldo ever made it in the World Cup was a semifinal run in 2006, his debut in the tournament.
Ronaldo鈥檚 finale on came eight years after he recorded a World Cup hat trick at age 33. That was in a 3-3 draw with Spain in a group stage opener considered one of the tournament’s best matches, although both powers didn鈥檛 reach the knockout stage.
He scored 11 goals in World Cup play, tied for ninth on the career list.
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