Ronaldo says 2026 World Cup will be his last, rules out immediate international retirement

Dallas- Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed that the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the final World Cup of his illustrious career. However, the veteran forward made it clear that he has no plans to retire from international football just yet.

Speaking to reporters ahead of Portugal's Round of 16 clash against Spain, the 41-year-old said he remains focused on the tournament and hopes his World Cup journey does not end in the next match.

"This will be my last World Cup, but let's hope tomorrow isn't my last game," Ronaldo said. "I don't think I've had a bad tournament. I've already scored three goals, and hopefully I can add another."

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Ronaldo netted twice against Uzbekistan during the group stage before scoring from the penalty spot against Croatia in the Round of 32, registering his first-ever goal in a World Cup knockout match. With goals in six consecutive FIFA World Cups since making his tournament debut in Germany in 2006, he has become the first player to achieve that milestone. He now has 11 World Cup goals to his name.

When questioned about his future with the national team, Ronaldo stressed that the decision to retire would be entirely his own.

"Whether I'm playing or not, I'll always have an important role with this national team. I'll stop when I decide it's the right time, just as I've always said. Whatever happens tomorrow, I'll leave with a completely clear conscience because I've given everything to football," he said.

Ronaldo has represented Portugal 232 times and remains the country's all-time leading scorer with 146 international goals. During his career, he captained Portugal to their first major international trophy at Euro 2016 and also led them to UEFA Nations League triumphs in 2019 and 2025.

Reflecting on the atmosphere at the tournament, Ronaldo said the passion shown by football fans has been one of its defining features.

"This World Cup has been filled with incredible passion—not just from the players, but from football supporters across the world," he said.

"At breakfast this morning, I met people from Venezuela and Colombia who shared their stories with me. Many of them had tears in their eyes when they saw me. Moments like those are what truly matter. That's what life is all about."

Across his club and international career, Ronaldo has now scored 976 goals and continues his pursuit of the historic 1,000-goal milestone.

With inputs from IANS