Merino’s Heroics End Ronaldo’s World Cup | Global News

Spain stunned Portugal with a last-minute winner as Mikel Merino, coming off the bench, scored in stoppage time to seal a 1-0 victory and end Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career. The win sends Spain to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2010, where they’ll face Belgium. Merino’s dramatic goal — after a foul and a scramble — capped a stunning comeback from foot surgery that cut his Arsenal season short. Spain’s defense held firm, with their keeper setting a new record for clean sheets, while Ronaldo’s late effort was saved. It’s a bitter end for the all-time international goalscorer, who now exits the tournament without reaching the quarterfinals — a stark contrast to their thrilling 3-3 draw eight years ago, where Ronaldo even netted a hat trick. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/b8abed281bc176e9