Spain beat Portugal, reach 1st quarters since 2010...
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- Mikel Merino scored a late winner off a Ferran Torres through-ball, slotting past goalkeeper Diogo Costa to seal Spain's 1-0 victory over Portugal in the round of 16 in Arlington, Texas.
- The decisive sequence unfolded after Merino was knocked down and a foul was called — while a Portugal player argued the call, he played the ball back in and finished off Torres's pass.
- Spain reached their first World Cup quarterfinal since winning the tournament in 2010, ending a 16-year gap at this stage of the competition.
- Portugal twice came close to equalizing in the closing stages but couldn't break through against Luis de la Fuente's side in a nervy finish.
- Cristiano Ronaldo likely played his final World Cup match; the all-time international goals leader was attempting to reach the quarterfinals in consecutive major tournaments after doing so at Euro 2024.
- Spain will face the Belgium-United States winner in the quarterfinals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, with that round-of-16 match scheduled for Monday at 8 PM ET.
Why it matters: Spain reach the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since their 2010 title, closing a 16-year gap at this stage of the competition. For Portugal, the likely exit of the all-time international goals leader Ronaldo ends the most decorated chapter of their modern football history.
