ARLINGTON, Texas — Using a rivalry analogy North Texans might better understand, what occurred here Monday was this World Cup’s Texas-OU clash.

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Except these soccer combatants and bordering countries, No. 3 in the world Spain and No. 7 Portugal, were playing 4,800 miles from home, in a neutral-site venue called Dallas Stadium.

What a sellout crowd of 70,649 saw was Spain’s Mikel Merino score the game’s only goal in the 90th minute — and history, as Portugal’s iconic Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, walked off a World Cup pitch for the final time.

While Spain moves on to the quarterfinals, one win from a return to Dallas Stadium for the July 14 semifinal, history will show that Ronaldo’s last World Cup practice occurred Sunday at SMU Washburne Soccer Stadium and that the last of his 233 matches for Portugal was played in Arlington.

“I gave it my all,” Ronaldo said. “As a footballer, I’m now at a point where I want to focus on my family rather than the national team.

“Honestly, I’m leaving with peace of mind, knowing I gave my best, and that’s that. Tomorrow is a new day, and life goes on.”

His sixth and last World Cup ended with the final whistle at 4:01 p.m. Central. He lingered on the pitch for nearly 25 minutes, visibly emotional, at times fighting back tears. He then exited the stadium tunnel with his head bowed.

How fortunate was North Texas to have hosted this matchup? This was the tournament’s 93rd game, and it pitted the lowest seeds to date, supplanting Sunday night’s thriller in Mexico City, in which No. 4 England edged No. 10 Mexico 3-2.

This was the eighth of a World Cup-high nine matches that will be played in AT&T Stadium, which for the monthlong duration of this tournament is being called Dallas Stadium.

Of the previous seven matches here, six were between teams whose countries were at least 3,800 miles apart. The exception was the June 17 group stage game between England and Croatia, which are separated by about 900 miles.

Spain and Portugal are next-door neighbors on the Iberian Peninsula, separate sovereign nations since the Feb. 13, 1668, signing of the Treaty of Lisbon.

And of course both countries are crazy about soccer, as evidenced by Monday’s at times deafening sellout crowd and the multitudes in Spain and Portugal who anxiously watched every second.

This was the seventh time they have met in World Cup play, following 1934 (Spain won both meetings), 1950 (Spain won in qualifying and the teams tied the other match), 2010 (Spain won 1-0 in the round of 16) and 2018’s group stage.

In that last meeting, the teams tied 3-3, with Ronaldo pulling off a hat trick.

“I looked up to him,” said Spain’s Rodri, who was selected as most valuable player Monday. “He is a fellow professional. He always wanted to be the best. I think it’s incredible, an example for all the generations to come.”

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Monday’s game was billed as a handing off of the torch — from Ronaldo to young Spanish star Lamine Yamal, who turns 19 on July 13.

While Spain moves on in this World Cup, Yamal is viewed as a star for multiple World Cups to come — including 2030, when Spain, Portugal and Morocco will serve as tri-hosts.

“Completely different players,” Portugal coach Roberto Martinez said when asked to compare Ronaldo and Yamal. “I think you’re talking about a very, very young player who shows he’s capable of carrying the pressure of the whole team and make things happen.”

And Ronaldo?

“You’re talking about an iconic figure of the game itself,” Martinez said. “The longevity that he has, it speaks for itself. Complete different positions, I think they can share that they got that capacity to affect the moments that they win games, but they are completely, completely in different moments of their careers.”

Ronaldo finishes his Portugal national team career with 146 goals in 233 appearances in 23 years — that includes three goals in five games of this World Cup.

His goal against Croatia was the first he has recorded in a knockout game, and it made him the oldest player to record a knockout-stage goal.

After Sunday’s practice at SMU, Ronaldo went to AT&T Stadium, where he held his first news conference of this World Cup. He was in a reflective mood but also had some playful banter with reporters, some of whom have been tough on him through the years.

“Well, you’ve been trying to kill me for the past 23 years,” he joked. “But you must have seen that this is not worthwhile. It’s a waste of time. You try and try and try and try and try, and it’s not worth it.”

Two-time World Cup champion Spain entered Monday’s match as the favorite, a fact Ronaldo seemed to acknowledge as he considered the possibility that Monday might be his finale.

“I’ll be honest. Whatever happens tomorrow, Cristiano will leave with a clear conscience,” he said. “Not 100%, but 1000%. Because I’ve given everything in football. I don’t need it, I have a good life, but it’s about passion.

“I play football because I love it.”

Monday, he walked off the pitch for the last time for Portugal. He never won a World Cup, but did lead Portugal to the 2016 European championship.

“For me, that holds the same weight as a World Cup,” he said. “Honestly — that’s why I say this again — I’m leaving with peace of mind.”

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