Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the final World Cup appearance of his illustrious career, while insisting he is not yet ready to discuss retirement from professional football.
Speaking ahead of Portugal’s Round of 16 clash against Spain, the 41-year-old said he wants to savour every moment of the tournament but hopes his World Cup journey does not end with the knockout fixture.
“I want to enjoy it as much as possible because it will be my last World Cup, yes. But I hope tomorrow won’t be my last game in the World Cup,” Ronaldo said.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, however, dismissed repeated questions about when he plans to retire, maintaining that the decision will be entirely his own.
“I’ll retire when I want to, not when you want me to. It’s a waste of time to keep asking that question,” he added.
Ronaldo stressed that his focus remains on helping Portugal progress in the tournament rather than discussing his future.
Widely regarded as one of football’s greatest players, Ronaldo has enjoyed a remarkable international career, leading Portugal to their first-ever UEFA Euro title in 2016 and UEFA Nations League triumphs in 2019 and 2025.
The Portuguese legend recently made history by becoming the first male footballer to score in six different FIFA World Cup tournaments, taking his World Cup tally to 11 goals.
Since making his World Cup debut in 2006, Ronaldo has enjoyed a glittering club career with Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Sporting CP, and Al-Nassr, where he currently plays. He has amassed 976 career goals across club and international football.
While Ronaldo has now confirmed this will be his final World Cup, he made it clear that his retirement from football will come only on his own terms.
