Spain knocks out Portugal with 90th-minute Merino goal, ending Ronaldo's World Cup career; Balogun starts for USA amid FIFA controversy
A late strike by substitute Mikel Merino sent Spain into the World Cup quarter-finals with a 1-0 win over Portugal in Dallas, while Cristiano Ronaldo's international tournament career likely ended. Hours later, the USA faced Belgium in Seattle with Folarin Balogun in the starting lineup after FIFA reversed his suspension following a call from President Trump.
Late drama in Dallas
Spain and Portugal played out a tense, often sluggish round-of-16 match at the World Cup in Dallas, with the deadlock broken only in the 90th minute. Substitute Mikel Merino, set up by Ferran Torres, slotted the ball into the near corner to give Spain a 1-0 victory. The goal came just as the match seemed destined for extra time, with both sides struggling to create clear chances in the second half.
Very little is happening after the break.
The first half had offered more promise. Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal missed an early chance in the 8th minute after a clever pass from Dani Olmo, while Portugal's Nuno Mendes rattled the crossbar with a long-range effort. Cristiano Ronaldo, at 41, had a close-range rebound saved by Unai Simón and later dribbled past three defenders before being tackled.
- Mikel Oyarzabal misses a clear chance for Spain after a Dani Olmo pass.
- Nuno Mendes hits the crossbar for Portugal; Ronaldo has a rebound saved.
- 0-0 at the break after a lively first half.
- Nuno Mendes is forced off injured, replaced by Nélson Semedo.
- Mikel Merino scores the winner, assisted by Ferran Torres.
Ronaldo's World Cup farewell
Portugal's exit likely marks the end of Ronaldo's World Cup career, and possibly his international career altogether. The forward, who scored a hat-trick against Spain in the 2018 group stage, could not find the net this time. After the final whistle, he cut a dejected figure as Spain celebrated.
That's nonsense, you can see he inspires other players. He always occupies two defenders. And I think he's already scored three.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez introduced Rafael Leão and made defensive changes, but Spain's defence, which has now gone 701 minutes without conceding a World Cup goal, held firm. Spain's goalkeeper Unai Simón has yet to pick the ball out of his net in this tournament.
Balogun controversy overshadows USA-Belgium
As Spain advanced, attention shifted to Seattle, where the United States faced Belgium in the early hours of Tuesday. The match was overshadowed by the eligibility of American striker Folarin Balogun, whose suspension was lifted by FIFA after a phone call from President Donald Trump. Balogun started the game, while Belgium left Kevin De Bruyne, Jérémy Doku, and Romelu Lukaku on the bench.
Suppose Balogun plays, the USA beats Belgium, and an appeals body like CAS later rules the player was ineligible. Then the result of the match suddenly becomes uncertain, regardless of what happened on the pitch.
Legal experts noted that FIFA's decision to declare Balogun eligible could shield the USA from later sanctions, but the episode has raised questions about political interference in the tournament.
What's next
Spain will face the winner of USA-Belgium in the quarter-finals on Friday evening. Spain's defensive record (six consecutive World Cup clean sheets, a tournament first) makes them a formidable opponent, though their attack has yet to fire consistently. For Portugal, the focus turns to life after Ronaldo, while the USA-Belgium winner must quickly regroup for a short turnaround.
