Belgium Dashes US Dreams Of Home Trophy, Ronaldo’s Last Dance Ends In Loss To Spain

Monday at the World Cup gave us a farewell and a funeral. In Dallas, Cristiano Ronaldo's international career ended in stoppage-time heartbreak as Spain beat Portugal 1-0.

Hours later in Seattle, Belgium dismantled co-hosts USA 4-1, meaning the tournament will crown its champion without any of the three home nations.

Spain 1-0 Portugal: Merino Breaks Iberian Hearts

For 90 minutes, the derby in Arlington was a chess match nobody wanted to lose. Then, with extra time looming, Spain played a quick restart and caught Portugal flat-footed. Substitute Ferran Torres slipped in fellow substitute Mikel Merino, who finished low past Diogo Costa in the 91st minute. Game over.

The numbers backed the result. Spain generated 1.77 expected goals from 15 shots per FotMob, while Portugal mustered just 0.60 from 10. Expected goals, or xG, measures the quality of chances created, so Spain deserved this by a distance.

At 41, Ronaldo had already confirmed this would be his final FIFA World Cup. He exits as the first player to score at six World Cups, with three goals this tournament, but the one trophy missing from his cabinet stays missing. Portugal's 20-year wait to get past a quarter-final now rolls on to 2030.

Spain, meanwhile, keep humming. Unai Simón has not conceded in five matches, and that record is about to face its sternest test yet.

Belgium 4-1 USA: The Party Ends in Seattle

Twelve years after Belgium ended the USA's 2014 World Cup at this exact stage, history repeated itself. This time, though, it was not even close, which isn’t something many pundits would’ve predicted after the impressive performances of Pochettino’s squad thus far.

The build-up was dominated by the Folarin Balogun controversy, with FIFA suspending the striker's one-match ban after President Trump asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review his red card. Belgium coach Rudi Garcia arrived with a point to prove and proved it emphatically.

Belgium barely needed their stars. With De Bruyne, Lukaku and Doku all benched, Charles De Ketelaere struck twice in the first half, either side of a Malik Tillman free kick that gave the hosts two minutes of hope. Hans Vanaken added a third, Thibaut Courtois denied Balogun one-on-one, and Romelu Lukaku came off the bench to punish a final defensive lapse in stoppage time. Belgium finished with 2.15 xG from 15 shots, thoroughly deserved winners.

The fallout was brutal. The Americans wanted a first quarter-final since 2002, Mauricio Pochettino refused to confirm his future, and all three co-hosts, USA, Mexico and Canada, are out at the Round of 16.

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What Comes Next

Two Round of 16 ties remain on Tuesday: reigning champions Argentina face Mohamed Salah's Egypt in Atlanta, then Switzerland meet Colombia in Vancouver.

The quarter-final picture:

Semi-finals follow on July 14 in Arlington and July 15 in Atlanta.

Every tie has a hook. France vs Morocco is a rematch of the 2022 semi-final. Spain vs Belgium pits the tournament's only unbeaten defence against an attack that just put four past a co-host. And Norway vs England might be the pick of the round: Erling Haaland, fresh from sinking Brazil with a late brace, against Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane's Three Lions.

The Golden Boot race, the award for the tournament's top scorer, is now a generational shootout: Haaland and Lionel Messi level on seven goals, Kane one behind on six, and Messi in action against Egypt on Tuesday. One legend has left the stage. Two more are sprinting for the record books.