World Giants Portugal and Brazil Exit World Cup 2026
Portugal and Brazil have both been eliminated from the 2026 World Cup in the Round of 16, with Spain beating Portugal 1-0 and Norway stunning Brazil 2-1, ending both nations’ title hopes.
How Did Portugal Get Eliminated?
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal fell 1-0 to Spain in the Round of 16 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, with Mikel Merino scoring a stoppage-time winner just six minutes after entering the match. The result ends Portugal’s pursuit of a maiden World Cup title, with the squad now set to wait until the 2030 tournament, partly hosted on home soil, for another shot.
How Did Brazil Get Eliminated?
Brazil, football’s most decorated nation with five World Cup titles, lost 2-1 to Erling Haaland’s Norway at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, marking their earliest exit in 36 years. Coach Carlo Ancelotti’s side had not been knocked out this early since a 1990 loss to Argentina, snapping a streak of reaching at least the quarterfinals in eight straight tournaments from 1994 through 2022.
Haaland scored both Norwegian goals, prompting ESPN to call the Selecao’s elimination “the most shocking result of this World Cup”. beIN Sports described the loss as a “total failure” for Brazilian soccer on a night many will remember for years.
What Was the Reaction to These Eliminations?
Fans reacted with disbelief across social media, with reports noting that supporters in Bangladesh were “more upset about Brazil’s elimination than the Brazilians themselves”. Norway now advances to face the winner of Mexico vs. England in the quarterfinals, continuing one of the tournament’s biggest underdog stories.
For context on other shock exits, readers can check the full list of teams eliminated from World Cup 2026, which also includes Germany, Netherlands, Canada, Paraguay, and Mexico.
What Comes Next in the Tournament?
With both Portugal and Brazil out, the World Cup 2026 quarterfinal picture now features Norway, Spain, and other surprise contenders alongside remaining giants like France, who face Morocco under coach Walid Regragui. The tournament continues toward its final on July 19, with several more Round of 16 matches, including Argentina vs Egypt, still to be decided.
