Player Thanh Nha: 'Spain won by knowing how to punish opponents' mistakes'

The so-called early final between Portugal and Spain at the 2026 World Cup round of 16 saw Spain claim the quarterfinal berth. Consequently, Cristiano Ronaldo had to leave the global football festival earlier than expected. In spite of the defeat, the stubborn performance of CR7 and his side drew widespread sympathy from fans.

From the perspective of a speedy winger, female footballer Nguyen Thi Thanh Nha expressed regret but complete admiration for Spain's maturity: 'This was a high-level match, full of emotion and leaving a bittersweet aftertaste. Portugal executed a clear tactic by actively playing a deep block, giving up possession to wait for opportunities to counterattack directly with long passes over the lines.'

They caused quite a few problems, but Spain's well-covered defensive system played too intelligently. The Spanish defense always assigned at least two defenders to press and tightly blockade whenever Ronaldo received the ball.

Spain themselves also played cautiously because they fully understood the opponent's danger. They didn't expend too much energy but always knew how to accelerate and suffocate the opposition at decisive moments. If goalkeeper Diogo Costa hadn't made brilliant saves, the match might have been decided earlier.

The turning point only truly came at the end of the match when Portugal was worn down physically, lost a player, and lost concentration. Spain brought out strategic substitutes at the right time to finish the game.

Meanwhile, striker Nguyen Thi Thuy Hang analyzed the match from a sharp tactical perspective, pointing out the fatal flaw in the defense of the 'European Selecao': 'As a fan of Cristiano Ronaldo, I am very sad to see my idol stop at his last World Cup under this cruel scenario.'

Portugal started not badly; in fact, their defensive system had neutralized the threat of Lamine Yamal on the right flank for most of the time. However, the unfortunate turning point came from the injury of defender Nuno Mendes.

Losing a key player, Portugal's defensive structure was immediately disrupted. Having to continuously assign extra players to the right flank to help block Yamal caused their defense to become unbalanced.

As a result, a huge gap appeared on the left flank, allowing Mikel Merino to break through and finish, deciding the fate of the match. It was a cruel outcome for Ronaldo but entirely realistic, because Spain had a well-balanced squad and knew how to seize opportunities better.

Having overcome the ultimate test in the round of 16, the Spanish team will officially face Belgium in the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals at 2:00 AM on July 11 (Vietnam time). Lamine Yamal and his teammates are taking another solid step on their journey to conquer the prestigious Golden Cup.