‘Most BORING game of the World Cup’ — Fans Slam Spain vs Portugal Sleep-Fest as La Roja Advance to Quarterfinals

One moment of brilliance was ultimately enough. After more than 90 minutes of tactical caution, Spain finally found the breakthrough deep into stoppage time as Mikel Merino fired home the winner to eliminate Portugal and send La Roja into the quarterfinals.

The victory also brought an emotional end to Cristiano Ronaldo’s final FIFA World Cup appearance

For long spells, Luis de la Fuente’s side controlled possession without creating sustained danger, while Portugal struggled to turn counter-attacks into genuine opportunities.

The deadlock remained intact until the 91st minute, when Spain finally broke through to snatch a dramatic victory and secure their place in the last eight, where they will face the winner of the United States and Belgium.

For Portugal, the defeat not only ended their World Cup campaign but also marked the conclusion of Ronaldo’s final appearance at football’s biggest tournament.

Despite the dramatic late finish, the match divided opinion across social media.

Many viewers had expected fireworks from two European heavyweights packed with attacking talent. Instead, they were treated to a cagey encounter dominated by patient possession, disciplined defending and very few clear-cut chances before Merino’s decisive strike

See some reactions from X below.

One user wrote in a viral post: "This Portugal v Spain game could cure insomnia. So far, it’s the most boring game in the World Cup."

Regardless of which side of the debate fans fall on, one thing is certain. Spain are through. Portugal are out.

And a match that ended with genuine late drama will probably be remembered just as much for the fierce online debate over whether it was brilliant tactical football, or simply very, very boring.