The trophy may be lost, but the legacy never will be.
It seems like just yesterday that Cristiano Ronaldo was sweeping the pitch with his 2006 FIFA World Cup debut and showcasing first-class sportsmanship in his Castrol Edge ads that dominated SBS channels in 2010.
Cut to 20 years later, and the football icon has now played his last-ever FIFA World Cup, ending with a loss to Spain that has left both fans and Ronaldo himself in a state of pure melancholy.
Despite being the first male player to score in six different World Cups and making 27 historic appearances, one accolade was always just out of reach:
The fabled FIFA World Cup trophy.
As the curtain fell on the final whistle, Ronaldo could be seen wiping tears from his eyes as he applauded fans cheering inside the Arlington arena, along with the unseen supporters watching from bar stools, couches, work desks and flare-lit spaces.
Ronaldo fans were hoping that this year could finally be the one in which the star grabbed the trophy, after Portugal reached the quarter-finals at the last World Cup.
The gravity of the loss was felt tenfold, as even IShowSpeed (perhaps Ronaldo’s biggest fan) was caught crying on camera during his livestreamed reaction to the game from the stands.
After the game, Cristiano Ronaldo shared some parting words.
“I’m sad to leave the World Cup this way…I gave it my all, and I leave with a clear conscience. That’s the life of a footballer. You have to move forward…there’s time to think, to be with my family, and not say things in the heat of the moment.”
During his final game, the star played the full 90 minutes with the complete faith of his coach, Roberto Martínez.
“There aren’t many Cristiano Ronaldos. We have to be thankful for what he did at this World Cup. He wanted to win it. As a player, a captain, and on a human level, we’ll all take it with us forever.”
Although the FIFA World Cup is now a closed book in the annals of his sporting history, Ronaldo has not closed the door on appearing for the national team.
The legacy is not over.
