Cristiano Ronaldo reaches Dallas ahead of FIFA World Cup R16 clash against Spain
Dallas, July 5
Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo reached Dallas with the national side ahead of their FIFA World Cup round of 16 clash against Spain.
Spain versus Portugal, scheduled for July 7, 12:30 AM, is set to be a clash of generations, with the 41-year-old Portugal icon, club football giant Cristiano Ronaldo, set to encounter the next generation of Spanish football, spearheaded by 18-year-old Lamine Yamal. The 2010 champions, Spain, who have not conceded in any of their FIFA WC 2026 games so far, will face a tough test against Cristiano's men, who are still searching for that perfect all-round game, especially against big sides.
The match against Spain takes place on July 7, 12:30 AM IST.
Posting an Instagram story, Cristiano greeted fans in Dallas with a caption, "Hello Dallas"
Against Croatia in the round of 32, Ronaldo became the first player in history to feature in a FIFA World Cup knockout match at the age of 41 or older. The match also marked a unique milestone, as it was the first in World Cup history to feature two outfield players aged 40 or above, with Ronaldo facing former Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric.
The appearance also saw Ronaldo extend another record, as he became the oldest goalscorer in World Cup knockout history at 41 years and 147 days, further underlining his longevity and enduring impact at the highest level. This was also his first-ever FIFA World Cup knockout goal, removing a massive stain from his illustrious career.
Portugal started off with a dull 1-1 draw against DR Congo in the group stage, with Cristiano failing to make an impact and inviting a lot of criticism with his poor performance.
During the match against Uzbekistan, a 5-0 win, Ronaldo led Portugal's charge with two goals, while Nuno Mendes and Rafael Leao also found the net. An own goal involving Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov further compounded the misery for Fabio Cannavaro's side as Roberto Martinez's men secured their first win of the tournament in emphatic fashion.
Ronaldo's brace saw him become Portugal's all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history, taking his tally to 10 goals, surpassing Eusebio's record of nine. Eusebio, a Portuguese legend and 1965 Ballon d'Or winner, famously guided the team to third place at the 1966 World Cup. Behind Ronaldo and Eusebio, Pauleta is third on Portugal's World Cup scoring list with four goals.
Ronaldo also became the first player to score in six different FIFA World Cup tournaments, ending his 10-match goalless streak across major competitions (the FIFA World Cup and the Euro Championship).
After this, they made it to round of 32 with a goalless draw against Colombia. Against Croatia, they managed to survive the lead taken by the 2018 runners-up, with Cristiano and Goncalos Ramos firing goals to lead them to 2-1 win.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As an Indian football fan, I've grown up watching Ronaldo's journey. Seeing him play at 41, still hungry for success, is inspiring. But honestly, Portugal hasn't looked convincing against top sides. That draw against DR Congo was a wake-up call. Spain's young guns are fearless - Yamal at 18 playing in a World Cup knockout match! Should be a cracker of a game. Hope Ronaldo can silence the critics once again.
I'm from the UK and have to say, this Portugal team is riding too much on Ronaldo. Yes, he's incredible, but they need more balance. Spain's defense hasn't conceded yet - that's a massive challenge. But you can never write off CR7 in big moments. That knockout goal against Croatia showed he still has the clutch gene. 12:30 AM IST start - perfect time for Indian viewers to catch the action! 🎯
Ronaldo becoming first to score in six World Cups is unreal longevity. But let's be honest - that 10-match goalless streak in major tournaments was a blot on his record. Now he's finally erased it. Spain vs Portugal is always a blockbuster. The 2010 champions vs the 2016 Euro winners. Tactically, Martínez has his work cut out against Spain's possession game. I think it'll be a 2-1 thriller with Ronaldo scoring again. What do you all think? 🤔
As an American, it's cool to see Ronaldo in Dallas. The man is a global icon. But at 41, his mobility has clearly dropped compared to his prime. Portugal's win over Uzbekistan was impressive because the team stepped up - not just Ronaldo. Spain's young energy might overwhelm them. That said, if Ronaldo gets one chance, he'll take it. The knockout record he broke against Croatia shows he's still deadly in the box. Vamos!