Mikel Merino had one chance in his hands, and he didn’t let Spain down. His stoppage-time winner not only sealed Portugal’s 1-0 defeat but also brought Cristiano Ronaldo‘s final World Cup campaign to a heartbreaking end. As the final whistle blew, Ronaldo stood alone on the pitch in tears, knowing his last chance to lift soccer’s biggest prize had slipped away.

A day before the face-off, the 41-year-old had confirmed that the 2026 FIFA World Cup would be his last. Even then, Ronaldo had insisted that the tournament’s outcome would not define his legacy, saying, “I am not going to be more Cristiano for winning the World Cup, or be less Cristiano if I don’t win the World Cup.” After Portugal’s elimination, he delivered an emotional message.

“I’m sad to leave the World Cup this way. As I said yesterday, I gave it my all, and I leave with a clear conscience. That’s the life of a footballer. You have to move forward.”

He added, “I’ve won three titles for Portugal. Before Cristiano, Portugal hadn’t won any title. I’m happy. The truth is that the biggest title I’ve won in the national team was in 2016. For me, it has the same dimension as the World Cup, sincerely. That’s why, I repeat, I leave with a calm conscience of my best. That’s it. Tomorrow will be a new day, and life goes on.”

Sure, Ronaldo is Portugal’s all-time leading scorer with 146 goals in 233 appearances. It is also true that before he arrived, the national team had never won a major international trophy. That changed in 2016 when Portugal lifted its first UEFA European Championship, followed by the UEFA Nations League titles in 2019 and 2025. Given that history, Ronaldo believes the Euro 2016 triumph carries the same weight as winning a World Cup.

However, that comparison quickly became a talking point online following Portugal’s exit, with many fans questioning whether any continental title could truly be viewed on par with soccer’s biggest prize.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s statement did not sit well with fans

“So we can say that Greece have won the World Cup😂,” a fan commented on X. The remark referenced Greece’s stunning Euro 2004 triumph, when they defeated Portugal 1-0 in the final with a teenage Ronaldo in the starting lineup. If Ronaldo’s logic applied universally, the fan argued, every European champion would effectively be equivalent to a World Cup winner.

“He’s always embarrassing his fans 😭,” another user wrote.

Many others pointed to the broader scope of the World Cup, which features national teams from every confederation rather than only European nations, as the reason they viewed the two tournaments differently. “What a Blasphemous statement 😒🙄,” another fan posted.

The debate wasn’t limited to X. Under the same clip shared by Fabrizio Romano, one Instagram user simply asked, “Is this AI?”

Another fan took the comparison even further, writing, “AFCON, ASIAN CUP AND COPA AMERICA are the same as the world cup 🏆….Does that even make any sense ??? Premier League, laliga and indian football league is the same as the UCL. Na waoo 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂”

Ronaldo has long maintained that Portugal’s breakthrough at Euro 2016 ranks among the greatest achievements of his career, but reiterating that belief immediately after his final World Cup defeat sparked fresh debate. While some understood the emotional significance the title holds for him, many others strongly disagreed with equating it to lifting the World Cup.