Cristiano Ronaldo would never have predicted that his last World Cup appearance would end in this way.

The 37-year-old Portuguese superstar was tasked with coming off the bench to mount another rescue mission on the grandest stage, but in cold reality, he was booed and whistled with every touch of the ball by Morocco's boisterous fans, who populated most of the Al Thumama Stadium.

With his ears ringing, Ronaldo never really posed a serious threat to the well-organized Moroccan defensive line and could not drag his country back into the feisty quarterfinal tie. As the final whistle blew, he headed right down the tunnel without breaking his stride and was caught wiping tears from his eyes.

"If we take two people that were the most upset about the game, perhaps it was Cristiano Ronaldo and myself," said a crestfallen Portugal coach Fernando Santos afterwards.

This Qatar campaign was supposed to be Ronaldo's last dance, his final big moment in the spotlight. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner netted in the opening fixture to become the first male footballer to score in five different World Cups. But things went downhill from there.

He was subbed off in the shock loss to South Korea and reacted angrily. "I didn't like his reaction," fumed Santos. "Not at all. I really didn't like it." He was then dropped from the starting line-up against Switzerland, and his replacement Goncalo Ramos bagged a record-breaking hat trick in the youngster's first ever international start and led Portugal to a sensational 6-1 win.

Portuguese sports newspaper Record revealed that Ronaldo threatened to leave the World Cup after being told he would not start against Switzerland, but Santos denied that had happened and only admitted that his captain was not happy. Amid all the speculations and controversies off the pitch, Santos stuck to his guns during the do-or-die encounter with Morocco and had Ronaldo on the bench again.

"I've no regrets," Santos said about his bold decision to demote Ronaldo. "I do not think that what happened to Cristiano and all the criticism that he faced had any impact on the match... Cristiano is a great player and he came in when we thought it was necessary."

The fiercely competitive Ronaldo the world knows would have done something spectacular on the pitch to answer his critics and change the whole narrative. But regrettably, he was largely powerless in the twilight of his career and struggled to have any impact throughout his limited playing time.

"To win a World Cup for Portugal was the biggest and most ambitious dream of my career," Ronaldo wrote on social media on Sunday. "Unfortunately, yesterday the dream ended."

"I just want everyone to know that a lot was said, a lot was written, a lot was speculated, but my dedication to Portugal didn't change for an instant," he added. "I was always one more player fighting for everyone's goal and I would never turn my back on my teammates and my country."

"For now, there's not much more to say. Thank you, Portugal. Thank you, Qatar. The dream was beautiful while it lasted... Now, we have to let time be a good adviser and allow everyone to draw their own conclusions."

While Ronaldo insisted "there's no point in reacting in the heat of the moment," there's no denying time and opportunities are running out. If this is the end for Ronaldo at international level, he'll close his Portugal chapter with a record 118 goals and a European Championship title. But he will never cement his legacy with that elusive World Cup trophy.

Ronaldo's agitation is far from over. Last month, an ill-advised interview saw his Manchester United career come to a bitter end and leave him without a club. He will turn 38 in February, and there are few elite clubs in Europe willing to afford a highly-paid old timer whose level has dropped off at an alarming rate.

Last week, it was reported that Saudi Arabian giants Al-Nassr are the only side that have lodged a concrete offer for Ronaldo's services. It remains to be seen how he would deal with the possibility of not playing at the biggest clubs and the reality of being reduced to a bit part role.

For Ronaldo, after the heartbreaking World Cup exit, more cruelty will inevitably follow.