{"id":251813,"date":"2026-07-07T01:11:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T01:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/07\/spineless-manager-quits-after-gutless-ronaldo-call-as-world-cup-career-ends-in-tears\/"},"modified":"2026-07-07T01:11:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T01:11:00","slug":"spineless-manager-quits-after-gutless-ronaldo-call-as-world-cup-career-ends-in-tears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/07\/spineless-manager-quits-after-gutless-ronaldo-call-as-world-cup-career-ends-in-tears\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Spineless\u2019 manager quits after \u2018gutless\u2019 Ronaldo call as World Cup career ends in tears"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Roberto Martinez quit his post in the aftermath of Portgual\u2019s 1-0 loss to Spain in the World Cup Round of 16 that saw Cristiano Ronaldo left in tears.<\/p>\n

Substitute Mikel Merino scored a late winner to put Spain in the quarter-finals and end Ronaldo\u2019s World Cup career on Tuesday morning<\/p>\n

The European champions will face the United States – the only one of the co-hosts remaining – or Belgium on Friday in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

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In front of an expectant crowd of 70,649 at the air-conditioned home of the Dallas Cowboys, a match that on paper promised so much failed to really deliver.<\/p>\n

Get all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now ><\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Extra time looked certain, before fellow substitute Ferran Torres slipped in Merino to settle the contest in the first minute of injury time.<\/p>\n

It meant a sour final World Cup match for the 41-year-old Ronaldo, now playing in Saudi Arabia, having confirmed on the eve of the encounter that this would be his last dance on football\u2019s biggest stage.<\/p>\n

The neighbours came into the contest both unbeaten, but while Portugal had not been entirely convincing, Spain had not even conceded a goal in the tournament.<\/p>\n

One of the pre-tournament favourites, they still haven\u2019t.<\/p>\n

For all their pedigree, talent and history, Spain have only lifted the World Cup once, in 2010, while Portugal\u2019s best was third place in 1966.<\/p>\n

An emotional Ronaldo broke down in tears after the final whistle, while Portugal manager Roberto Mart\u00ednez stepped down shortly after the match.<\/p>\n

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Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (7) reacts after the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Portugal and Spain in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Monday, July 6, 2026. (AP Photo\/Gareth Patterson)<\/span>Source: AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In Ronaldo and Spain\u2019s 18-year-old Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal, the last-16 showdown was touted as a showcase of two extraordinary talents at opposite ends of their careers.<\/p>\n

There was a sombre moment shortly before kickoff when a black-and-white image of the late Portugal forward Diogo Jota flashed up on the giant screen that looms over the field.<\/p>\n

Spain should have been ahead with less than 10 minutes gone when Dani Olmo played in Mikel Oyarzabal but with only goalkeeper Diogo Costa to beat, he somehow pulled it well wide.<\/p>\n

Portugal skipper Ronaldo had his first chance to add to his three goals in North America, stinging the palms of goalkeeper Unai Simon from a tight angle.<\/p>\n

Luis de la Fuente\u2019s Spain cranked up the pressure, Yamal and Alex Baena testing Costa twice in quick succession, the second a wonderful fingertip save.<\/p>\n

Ronaldo — jeered and cheered in equal measure — was a marginal presence in the central attacking role he now occupies in the twilight of his career.<\/p>\n

Portugal ended the half on top and Martinez\u2019s side were inches from taking the lead when Spain full-back Pedro Porro stuck out his head and directed a Nuno Mendes shot onto his own crossbar.<\/p>\n

The winger Yamal had endured a frustrating time up against Mendes, but the Paris Saint-Germain fullback was forced off injured after 56 minutes in a blow to Portugal.<\/p>\n

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Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez came in for heavy crticism over his handling of Ronaldo.<\/span>Source: AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The game needed a spark and Ronaldo, well known to Spain from his time at Real Madrid, threw up his arms when a pass went astray.<\/p>\n

Martinez made double changes on 71 and 83 minutes, but kept Ronaldo on. And in a game that was cagey, Arsenal midfielder Merino won it at the death with a composed finish that was out of keeping with much of what went on before.<\/p>\n

Mart\u00ednez copped criticism for his reluctance to bring off Ronaldo, who played the whole 90 minutes without throwing any punches.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s only one man to blame for this, the gutless manager,\u201d former England forward Chris Sutton said on BBC Radio 5 Live.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoncalo Ramos came off the bench to win the game for Portugal against Croatia and yet you seem him staying on the bench.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust bowing down to Cristiano Ronaldo.\u201d<\/p>\n

Former Socceroos Tommy Oar added on SBS: \u201cI think Mart\u00ednez is under a lot of pressure now.\u201d<\/p>\n

About an hour after the match\u2019s conclusion, Martinez stepped down from the role.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Roberto Martinez quit his post in the aftermath of Portgual\u2019s 1-0 loss to Spain in the World Cup Round of 16 that saw Cristiano Ronaldo left in tears. Substitute Mikel Merino scored a late winner to put Spain in the quarter-finals and end Ronaldo\u2019s World Cup career on Tuesday morning The European champions will face […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":251814,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6807],"tags":[156],"class_list":{"0":"post-251813","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leagues-cups","8":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251813","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=251813"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251813\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/251814"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=251813"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=251813"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=251813"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}