ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo walked off the pitch after his final World Cup match for Portugal with a stoic look on his face and only the slightest hint of emotion. There was a brief wave to acknowledge cheering fans, and the same feeling he has had after past losses.

“Sad — it’s normal after being eliminated like this,” said Ronaldo, who briefly shielded his eyes with his right hand after the match.

kAm%96 D:IE9 2?5 7:?2= (@C=5 rFA 7@C E96 c`\J62C\@=5 DFA6CDE2C 6?565 H:E9 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^H@C=5\4FA\A@CEF82=\DA2:?\D4@C6\bg23ced4f5dfbc33d_c5b6ccaha5d2e2Qm`\_ =@DD E@ 3@C56C C:G2= $A2:?k^2m 😕 2 C@F?5 @7 `e 82>6 @? |@?52J]k^Am

kAm“x’G6 8:G6? 6G6CJE9:?8[ x’G6 8:G6? >J 36DE[ 2?5 x =62G6 H:E9 2 4=62C 4@?D4:6?46[” 96 D2:5] “%9:D 😀 D@446C[ E9:D 😀 =:76 7@C 2 D@446C A=2J6C] $@>6E:>6D J@F H:? 2?5 D@>6E:>6D J@F =@D6]”k^Am

kAm#@?2=5@[ E96 @?=J A=2J6C E@ D4@C6 8@2=D 😕 D:I (@C=5 rFAD 😕 2 C@H 2?5 E96 42C66C =6256C 😕 :?E6C?2E:@?2= 8@2=D H:E9 `ce[ D2:5 E96 52J 367@C6 E92E 96 9@A65 :E H@F=5?VE 36 9:D 7:?2= >2E49 😕 E9:D CF? 2?5 H2?E65 E@ 6?;@J :E E@ E96 7F==6DE]k^Am

kAmqFE 96 C6:E6C2E65 E96? — 2?5 282:? 27E6C E96 =@DD E@ $A2:? — E92E E9:D H2D 9:D =2DE E:>6 😕 E96 E@FC?2>6?E E92EVD A=2J65 6G6CJ 7@FC J62CD] %96 566A6DE 96 6G6C H6?E 😕 E96 (@C=5 rFA H2D E96 D6>:7:?2=D 😕 9:D a__e 563FE]k^Am

kAmpD 7@C 9:D @E96C 7FEFC6 A=2?D[ 96 H2D?VE C625J E@ D2J]k^Am

kAm“*6D[ :E H2D >J =2DE (@C=5 rFA[ 3FE 6G6CJE9:?8 6=D6 x’== 92G6 E:>6 E@ E9:?< 23@FE[ E@ 36 H:E9 >J 72>:=J[ 2?5 ?@E >2<6 2?J 564:D:@? 9@E\962565 2?5 >@G6 @? H:E9 =:76[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm#@?2=5@ H2D 56?:65 2 8@2= 😕 E96 7:CDE 92=7 282:?DE $A2:? H96? C64@C5\D6EE:?8 8@2=<66A6C &?2: $:>ó? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^I]4@>^u~)$A@CED^DE2EFD^a_fca`ecdffaagdhgbaQm>256 2? :>AC6DD:G6 =62A:?8 DE@Ak^2m] %92E H2D @?6 @7 9:D E9C66 D9@ED]k^Am

kAm%H@ @7 E9@D6 H6C6 @? E2C86E[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 @?6 @? H9:49 $:>ó? H2D DE:== 😕 >:52:C H96? 96 C624965 324< E@ 8C23 E96 32== H:E9 3@E9 92?5D] #@?2=5@ 8@E @77 2 324>2E6 y@ã@ ué=:I 3@F?465 @77 $:>ó?’D D9@F=56C]k^Am

kAm“w6 😀 2? 6I2>A=6[ 2 C@=6 >@56= E@ 7@==@H] %9:D 😀 D@>63@5J E92E H6 ?665 E@ 46=63C2E6] (6’C6 E2=<:?8 23@FE 2 7@@E32== :4@?[” !@CEF82= 4@249 #@36CE@ |2CEí?6K D2:5 😕 EC2?D=2E65 C6>2C2?J rC:DE:2?@ #@?2=5@D @FE E96C6] x E9:?< H6 ?665 E@ E92?< 9:>] w:D 5C62> H2D E@ H:? E96 (@C=5 rFA 2?5 96 5:5 E9:D 2D 2? 2>2K:?8 6I2>A=6 😕 E96 =@4<6C C@@>]”k^Am

kAm!@CEF82= 925 ?6G6C H@? 2 >2;@C :?E6C?2E:@?2= E@FC?2>6?E 367@C6 #@?2=5@] %96 7:CDE H2D E96 a_`e tFC@A62? r92>A:@?D9:A[ 367@C6 255:?8 }2E:@?D {628F6 E:E=6D 😕 a_`h 2?5 a_ad]k^Am

kAm#@?2=5@VD 7:?2=6 @? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^7:72\H@C=5\4FAQmD@446C’D 3:886DE DE286k^2m 42>6 6:89E J62CD 27E6C 96 C64@C565 2 (@C=5 rFA 92E EC:4< 2E 286 bb] %92E >256 9:> E96 @=56DE E@ 92G6 @?6[ 2?5 E92E DE@@5 F?E:= E96?\bg\J62C\@=5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^H@C=5\4FA\2C86?E:?2\=:@?6=\>6DD:\e353ge6_c65ac`gf3cba`45665dca5c4Qm{:@?6= |6DD: D4@C65 E9C66 8@2=Dk^2m 7@C pC86?E:?2 😕 2 b\_ H:? @G6C p=86C:2 @? yF?6 `e]k^Am

kAm%96 92E EC:4< 7@C #@?2=5@ 42>6 😕 2 b\b 5C2H H:E9 $A2:? 😕 2 8C@FA DE286 @A6?6C E92EVD 4@?D:56C65 @?6 @7 E96 E@FC?2>6?EVD 36DE >2E496D[ 2=E9@F89 3@E9 A@H6CD 5:5?’E C6249 E96 @4<@FE DE286]k^Am

kAmw6 D4@C65 E9C66 8@2=D 😕 E9:D (@C=5 rFA[ 2?5 9:D “ @G6C2== 2C6 E:65 7@C ?:?E9 @? E96 42C66C =:DE]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^7:72\H@C=5\4FAQm$66 >@C6 @7 p!’D (@C=5 rFA 4@G6C286 96C6k^2mk^Am

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.