Hyderabad: Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed that the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the final World Cup of his illustrious career, while making it clear that he has no immediate plans to retire from international football.
Speaking ahead of Portugal’s Round of 16 clash against Spain, the 41-year-old said the current tournament would be his last appearance at football’s biggest event.
“This will be my last World Cup, but let’s hope tomorrow isn’t my last game,” Ronaldo said. “I don’t think I have had a bad World Cup. I have already scored three goals. Let’s see if I can score another tomorrow.”
Ronaldo has enjoyed another memorable campaign, scoring twice against Uzbekistan in the group stage before netting a penalty against Croatia in the Round of 32. The strike against Croatia was his first-ever goal in a FIFA World Cup knockout match.
The Portuguese superstar also became the first men’s player to score in six consecutive FIFA World Cups, having found the net in every edition since making his tournament debut in Germany in 2006. He now has 11 World Cup goals to his name.
Retirement Decision Will Be His Alone
Addressing speculation about retirement, Ronaldo said only he would decide when to end his international career.
“Whether I am playing or not, I will always have an important role with this national team. I will finish when I decide to finish. Whatever happens tomorrow, I will leave with a clear conscience because I’ve given everything in football,” he said.
Ronaldo has represented Portugal in 232 international matches, scoring a record 146 goals. During his career, he captained the national team to its first major international title at UEFA Euro 2016 and later lifted the UEFA Nations League trophies in 2019 and 2025.
Reflecting on the emotional support he has received during the World Cup, Ronaldo said interactions with fans remain among the most meaningful moments of his career.
“This World Cup has been marked by the passion of the people. Many fans shared their stories with me, and some even had tears in their eyes. That is what really matters. That is what life is about,” he said.
Overall, Ronaldo has scored 976 career goals for club and country and remains on course to become the first player to reach the historic milestone of 1,000 senior career goals.
