Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo said he harbors no regret over missing the World Cup title after his final World Cup appearance ended in the round of 16 following a 0-1 loss to Spain on July 6. The 41-year-old striker emphasized that his Euro 2016 championship with Portugal holds equal weight to him as a World Cup trophy. After the match, Ronaldo reflected on his feelings, stating: "I've won three championships with Portugal. Before I played for them, we never won anything. My greatest achievement with the national team is Euro 2016, and that trophy means as much to me as a World Cup title." He added, "Elimination from major tournaments is always sad. This is the World Cup. I'm disappointed to go out this way, but I gave everything. I leave with peace of mind. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but we can still hold our heads high." Regarding his international future, Ronaldo indicated he has not yet decided whether to retire from Portugal, saying he needs to consult with his family before making any announcement.

Virgil van Dijk, captain of the Dutch national football team, posted a message thanking fans after the Netherlands' campaign in the 2026 World Cup ended in the Round of 32. The Dutch fell to Morocco in a penalty shootout, forcing them to exit the 2026 World Cup at the Round of 32 stage.

Van Dijk recently posted on Instagram about the elimination, saying: "As captain, my only desire has always been to make this country proud. Having our World Cup journey end so early is deeply painful, because I know how much this team has given every single day. There are many things being said, and those conversations will come later. But right now, what matters is accepting that we failed, and all of us take full responsibility for that result. I want to thank every fan who traveled to support us, as well as everyone back home who believed in us and stood by us until the very last second. We see you, and we felt your support with every step of this journey."

The English Football Association is considering appealing the red card issued to defender Jarell Quansah during England's 2026 World Cup Round of 16 match on July 5, according to BBC News. In that match, England defeated co-hosts Mexico 3-2, with Quansah receiving a red card in the 54th minute following a challenge on Jesus Gaya. The player faces a potential two-match ban for serious foul play. However, following the case of American forward Folarin Balogun, who avoided a ban after his red card and received only a one-year suspended sentence instead, the FA has decided to explore options for appealing Quansah's punishment. England manager Thomas Tuchel previously expressed dissatisfaction with the Balogun decision, saying: "Where does this start and where does it end? Can we change decisions? That's the question I have. I don't have an answer for that."

Despite Portugal's spirited effort to compete with Spain, a dramatic late goal from substitute Miguel Merino in the 90+1st minute sealed Spain's narrow 1-0 victory and eliminated Portugal from the 2026 World Cup Round of 16 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas, on July 7.

Portugal, having defeated Croatia 2-1 in the previous round, faced Spain, who had dominated Austria with a 3-0 victory. Portugal's coach Roberto Martínez deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation featuring players including Diogo Costa, João Cancelo, Rúben Dias, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes, João Neves, Vitinha, Pedro Neto, Bruno Fernandes, João Félix, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Spain, under Luis de la Fuente, also used a 4-2-3-1 setup with goalkeeper Unai Simón, Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Guéhi, Pedri, Rodri, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Álex Balde, and Mikel Oyarzabal.

During the opening 25 minutes, Spain controlled possession with three shots on target, but Costa's goalkeeping kept Portugal in the match. Both teams created chances, but the first half ended goalless, extending Spain's streak to nine consecutive matches without conceding in the first half of World Cup knockout play.

The second half remained competitive, with neither side finding the breakthrough until the 90+1st minute when substitute Miguel Merino surged forward and fired past Costa to give Spain a 1-0 victory. Spain advances to the quarter-finals to face the winner of the United States versus Belgium match on July 11 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California.

The Dutch Football Association (KNVB) is in negotiations with Arne Slot regarding his appointment as national team head coach to replace Ronald Koeman, who has resigned.

According to Sky Sports, the KNVB is discussing the coaching position with Slot. At this World Cup, the Netherlands was eliminated at the round of 32 after drawing 1-1 with Morocco through 120 minutes, then losing 2-3 on penalties. This prompted head coach Ronald Koeman to step down.

Slot is currently without a club after Liverpool dismissed him over disappointing recent season results, despite his previous season leading the club to a league championship.

The KNVB has initiated preliminary talks with Slot, though other coaches remain under consideration as well, including Erik ten Hag, who currently serves as technical director at Twente in the Dutch league.

Before his time at Liverpool, Slot found success managing Feyenoord, winning both the Eredivisie and KNVB Cup titles once each.

Brazil's football federation has confirmed that Carlo Ancelotti will remain as head coach through the 2030 World Cup, despite the team's elimination in the 2026 tournament. CBF director Rodrigo Gaitano stated that Ancelotti will continue in his role as contracted, even after Brazil exited the 2026 World Cup at the Round of 16 following a 1-2 loss to Norway. The five-time world champions will now wait at least 28 years for their sixth title, with their last championship dating back to 2002. Although Ancelotti has faced heavy criticism over team performance, player selection, and tactical approach, the CBF remains committed to the Italian coach, having recently extended his contract in May. Gaitano said: "He is our head coach and will remain so for the duration of his contract. One of the main reasons we failed in this World Cup was the lack of a proper and stable long-term plan, which we cannot afford to repeat."