‘My prayers were not answered’: Team iShowSpeed suddenly burst into tears after Spain eliminated Portugal from the FIFA World Cup (Image via iShowSpeed/YouTube)
Portugal’s 2026 World Cup journey ended in heartbreaking fashion on July 6 when Spain won 1-0 in the round of 16. The winning goal came in stoppage time, leaving the Portuguese players and fans stunned.
Among those struggling to accept the result was IShowSpeed, one of Cristiano Ronaldo’s most loyal supporters. The broadcaster watched Portugal’s dream collapse in the final moments and became emotional immediately after the final whistle. For Speed, the defeat was particularly painful because it also ended Ronaldo’s World Cup career.
Mikel Merino’s late goal ended Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal’s World Cup run
The game at AT&T Stadium in Dallas remained tense throughout nearly 90 minutes.
Spain controlled large areas of the ball, while Portugal looked for opportunities to break through on the counter-attack.Cristiano Ronaldo came close to making the difference for Portugal, but Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon made an important save to keep the score level. With extra time increasingly likely, both teams continued to search for a breakthrough. This breakthrough came in stoppage time.
Ferran Torres helped set up the move before substitute Mikel Merino scored in the 90th minute plus extra time. The Spanish players celebrated wildly, knowing that the goal had secured their place in the quarter-finals. For Portugal, there was no time to react.The result closed the curtain on Ronaldo’s story in the World Cup. The 41-year-old entered the tournament hoping to add the only major trophy missing from his collection, but Spain’s late winner ended that dream.
Spain advanced, while Portugal headed home after another painful knockout defeat.
IShowSpeed shares emotional message after Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup exit
Few internet personalities have shown their support for Ronaldo as openly as IShowSpeed, whose real name is Darren Watkins Jr. Over the years, he has built much of his football content around the Portuguese star. From celebrating goals with the famous ‘Siuuu’ chant to traveling to matches and interacting live with big moments, Speed has never hidden how important Ronaldo is to him.Portugal’s elimination clearly hit him hard. As the reality of the defeat dawned, Speed became emotional as he spoke about the result. His disappointment was clear when he thought about how much he believed in Portugal’s ability to lift the cup.“I thought they were going to win it all… I swear to God… I prayed… and my prayers were not answered,” he said.The comments reflected the feelings he had throughout the tournament.
He has repeatedly supported Portugal and has often spoken of his desire to see Ronaldo end his World Cup career with a title.After the match, Speed also posted a tribute to the Portuguese captain. “Ronaldo is still my goat no matter what happens 💔🥹 Thank you for everything.” The letter showed that the result did not change his view on Ronaldo’s legacy.This was not the first time Speed had felt emotional after Portugal’s major defeat. He also reacted strongly when Portugal crashed out of Euro 2024, showing once again how he personally experiences Ronaldo’s biggest footballing moments.For Speed, Spain’s victory was more than just a late goal. It ended a tournament that was thought to have the potential to become Ronaldo’s greatest final act on the World Cup stage.
