Speaking to the Daily Mail, the newspaper's football editor Ian Ladyman said: "Cristiano Ronaldo knows how to exit a stage. He left Manchester United in a blaze of angry soundbites. Now he has left the World Cup blinded by his own tears. And for the first time in a long time, I feel a bit sorry for him.
"I didn't expect to feel this way. He has embarrassed himself in recent weeks. He has allowed himself to be portrayed as the worst kind of modern footballer; so far lost in a fog of his own importance that he failed utterly to see that the only place his punches were landing was right on the solar plexus of his own reputation.
"But as I sat at the Al Bayt Stadium on Saturday, I watched Ronaldo's last struggle against the dying of the light on TV with a mixture of discomfort and sadness. You see, he has been one of the greats. This is not simply another very good footballer we are watching walk out of our lives. No, this one was a genius.
"And Saturday it came to an end. His relevance expired as his cameo failed to inspire Portugal to rein in dogged Morocco. As I watched him wipe tears away, it was possible to peer right into the soul of a man who knows that it's over in terms of relevance and meaning. It's done. There will not be another major trophy."
Ronaldo went into the 2022 World Cup following his explosive interview with Piers Morgan where he attacked Man United, Erik ten Hag and his teammates.
The 37-year-old ended up scoring just one goal in five games (a penalty against Ghana) and was left on the bench for the two knockout clashes.
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