Ronaldo says this will be his final World Cup, avoids retirement talk
Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed the 2026 tournament will be his last World Cup appearance and declined to discuss retirement ahead of Portugal's round-of-16 match with Spain.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed that the 2026 World Cup will be his final appearance in the tournament. Speaking before Portugal's round-of-16 clash with Spain at Dallas Stadium, the 41-year-old said he wants to focus on the match rather than his future plans.
"I want to enjoy it as much as possible, because it will be my last World Cup, yes. But I hope that tomorrow won't be my last game in the World Cup … I'll retire when I want to, not when you want me to. It's a waste of time to keep asking that question. But I don't want to draw attention to that. The most important thing is tomorrow," Ronaldo told OneFootball.
Ronaldo, who has played in six World Cups and is the first male player to score in six different editions, has also led Portugal to a Euro 2016 title and two UEFA Nations League victories. He has scored 11 World Cup goals and 976 career goals overall.
When pressed about his playing career, Ronaldo responded sharply to a reporter, saying, "You have been trying to kill me for the past 23 years, but you must have seen that is not worth it, it's a waste of time, but you try and try and try and try and try," according to AFP.
Portugal remains in the competition, with the upcoming match marking the first World Cup meeting between Spain and Portugal since their 2018 encounter, which ended 3-3 after Ronaldo scored a hat-trick.
