Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed that the 2026 World Cup will be his last for Portugal, laying to rest any speculation that he might extend his international career into his mid-forties.
Speaking to the media ahead of Portugal’s round of 16 clash against Spain in Dallas, Texas, the 41-year-old Al Nassr striker said: “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.”
“Cristiano Ronaldo confirms 2026 World Cup will be his last for Portugal, speaking ahead of last-16 match against Spain.”
The announcement comes after a tournament in which Ronaldo has already made history. Last month he became the first man to score in six different World Cups, netting a brace in a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan. Those goals took his World Cup tally to 10, surpassing the late Eusébio’s national record of nine set in 1966. At 41 years and 138 days old, Ronaldo also became the second-oldest scorer in World Cup history, behind only Cameroon’s Roger Milla (42 years, 39 days).
Despite a slow start to the tournament that drew criticism, Ronaldo has scored three times – including a penalty in the round of 32 win over Croatia. His longevity has been a subject of debate, but he dismissed the doubters with characteristic defiance. “People question me starting at 41? It’s been 23 years with people trying to kill me… but they know now they’re wasting their time,” he said. “I am not the player I was before, but I keep scoring goals.” When asked about a retirement timeline from national duty, he shot back: “I will retire when I want, not when you want.”
Ronaldo made his Portugal debut in 2003 and has since amassed 232 caps and a record 146 international goals. He led Portugal to victory at Euro 2016 and twice won the Nations League, but a World Cup title has eluded him – Portugal’s best finish remains third place in 1966, and his own best effort was a semi-final appearance in 2006, where they lost 1-0 to France.
Now, with Spain standing in the way of a quarter-final berth, Ronaldo is focused on the team’s mission. “If I can’t score, it will be another teammate to score and we hope to go to the next round. The mission is to advance, not for me to score,” he said. The match kicks off on Monday, 6 July, and Ronaldo has made clear he intends to savour every moment. Whether Portugal can finally go all the way remains the unanswered question of his farewell campaign.