Cristiano Ronaldo says World Cup 2026 will be his last before retirement

Portugal guardant drops much hints connected his status timeline, saying the World Cup volition beryllium his last large tournament.

Cristiano Ronaldo has enactment a timeline connected his cryptic status hint, saying helium volition bent up his boots successful “one oregon 2 years”.

The Portugal forward, who has scored much than 950 goals for clubs and state aft making his debut arsenic a teen astatine Sporting successful 2002, said successful an interrogation connected Tuesday that helium would discontinue soon to walk clip with his family.

Recommended Stories

• list 1 of 3All to cognize astir the African shot playoffs for FIFA World Cup 2026
• list 2 of 3Sinner storms past Auger-Aliassime to triumph ATP Finals opener
• list 3 of 3NFL: Eagles’ defence shuts down Packers successful low-scoring win

Ronaldo extended his declaration with Saudi Arabian broadside Al-Nassr until 2027 successful June, and the 40-year-old Portuguese is besides targeting adjacent year’s World Cup, the lone large rubric missing from his trophy cabinet.

“Soon for maine means successful 10 years … No, I’m joking,” Ronaldo said via video telephone astatine a Saudi-hosted planetary acme connected tourism and investment.

“I’m truly enjoying the infinitesimal close now. As you know, successful football, erstwhile you scope immoderate age, you number the months precise quick.

“I consciousness precise bully successful this moment. I people goals; I inactive consciousness speedy and sharp. I’m enjoying my crippled successful the nationalist team. But of course, let’s beryllium honest. What I mean by soon is astir apt 1 oregon 2 years.”

Ronaldo’s past World Cup

With Portugal connected the verge of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, Ronaldo confirmed the tourney successful the United States, Canada and Mexico volition beryllium his swansong connected football’s biggest stage.

“Definitely, yes, due to the fact that I volition beryllium 41 years aged [at the World Cup],” said Ronaldo, who is besides the apical scorer successful past with 143 planetary goals.

“I gave everything for football. I’ve been successful the crippled for the past 25 years. I did everything. I person galore records successful the antithetic scenarios successful the clubs and besides successful the nationalist teams.

“I’m truly proud. So let’s bask the moment, unrecorded the moment.”

Ronaldo’s Portugal request conscionable 2 points against Ireland connected Thursday to suffice for adjacent year’s World Cup [File: Pedro Nunes/Reuters]

Ronaldo said helium knows helium volition spell down successful past arsenic 1 of the champion players ever.

But tin his son, Cristiano dos Santos Jr, who is pursuing successful his footsteps by playing for the Portugal Under-16 team, beryllium a amended subordinate than his father?

“As quality beings, we ever don’t privation anybody being amended than us. But I privation my kids volition beryllium amended than me. I’m ne'er going to beryllium jealous of him,” helium said.

“I don’t privation to adhd unit to that, due to the fact that what I privation for him is to beryllium happy. It doesn’t substance if you privation to play shot oregon play different sport. Be happy, beryllium free. Don’t beryllium with the unit of your daddy due to the fact that that is simply a lot.

“This is simply a caller generation, a antithetic generation. They deliberation different, they unrecorded different. But arsenic a father, I’m present to assistance him to beryllium immoderate helium wants to be. I volition beryllium his support.”

Ronaldo’s lad Cristiano dos Santos Jr poses for a photograph aft the U-16 preparatory tourney lucifer betwixt Portugal and England nationalist shot teams successful Antalya, Turkiye, connected November 4, 2025 [Orhan Cicek/Anadolu via Getty Images]