Cristiano Ronaldo etched his name further into the FIFA World Cup history books, scoring his first-ever knockout stage goal for Portugal during their Round of 32 victory over Croatia in Toronto. However, the landmark achievement was quickly overshadowed by his substitution and renewed speculation surrounding his international future.

The 41-year-old forward equalized for Portugal in the 68th minute, drawing the score level at 1-1 and becoming the oldest goalscorer in the second phase of the World Cup competition. Despite the crucial strike, Portugal manager Roberto Martinez opted to withdraw Ronaldo in the 81st minute, replacing him with Ruben Neves to bolster the midfield. The tactical shift saw Portugal revert to a single striker, Goncalo Ramos, upfront.

While Ronaldo embraced Neves and shook hands with Martinez as he departed the field, his reaction did not go unnoticed. BBC co-commentator Stephen Warnock observed Ronaldo’s clear displeasure. “He’s not happy! He’s not happy at all. Take the name out of it, it is the right decision. Cristiano Ronaldo hasn’t affected the game enough,” Warnock stated during the BBC coverage. “Yes, he scored the penalty. The link-up play, the pressing, it is not there from him. For the good of the team, that is what Roberto Martinez has to think about. You have got to put your ego aside and think of the bigger picture.”

Martinez’s decision ultimately paid off. Goncalo Ramos, who plays for Paris Saint Germain, secured Portugal’s win with a 94th-minute goal from a Rafael Leao cross. Croatia thought they had snatched a late equalizer when Josko Gvardiol scored in the 13th minute of stoppage time, but the goal was disallowed. FIFA confirmed that sensors in the Adidas Trionda ball detected a slight touch from striker Igor Matanovic after Portugal defender Renato Veiga had played the ball, rendering Mario Pasalic offside in the build-up.

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The post-match focus quickly shifted to Ronaldo’s future. Prior to the Croatia match, his sister, Katia Aveiro, had made headlines with comments suggesting his international retirement was imminent. “Enjoy it while it lasts. It’s ending soon. The info I have, from a reliable source… this is his last dance,” Aveiro posted, as reported by SPORTbible. “I believe it’s not today that they’ll say goodbye, but it’s coming soon. I strongly believe this is the farewell.” She added, “So enjoy it a lot because it will be difficult to find someone after 200 goals. I’m talking about the Portuguese national team.”

Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner who currently plays for Al Nassr, remained tight-lipped about his future after the game. When questioned, he simply stated it was “not what matters at this moment,” adding he would “talk about it later” and “speak with my family” regarding any decision. Ronaldo, who has amassed 146 goals in international football, also paid tribute to his late teammate Diogo Jota by wearing his shirt on the anniversary of his death.

Portugal will now face Spain in the Round of 16 on Monday in Arlington, Texas, with the lingering question of Ronaldo’s role and international longevity hanging over the squad.

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