Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed that the 2026 World Cup will be his last World Cup tournament
He put an end to the speculation that accompanied his international future, ahead of the expected clash between Portugal and Spain in the round of 16
The Portugal captain explained that his focus is fully on continuing the journey in the tournament
He stressed that talk of retirement will not affect the team’s ambition to compete for the title
Ronaldo: The 2026 World Cup is the last
During the press conference ahead of the match against Spain, Ronaldo said
“I want to enjoy this tournament to the fullest, because it will be my last World Cup
But I hope tomorrow’s game will not be my last match in the World Cup
With this announcement, Ronaldo confirms that the 2026 edition of the World Cup will be his sixth and final appearance in the tournament
After an international career that spanned more than two decades in the shirt of the Portugal national team.
Ronaldo’s decision to retire
Regarding the date of his retirement from football, Ronaldo stressed that the decision will remain personal, away from any external pressures
He said
“I will retire when I want, not when you want to. It is absurd to keep asking this question
He added that his current focus is on achieving the best results with the Portuguese national team, not thinking about the end of his career
An influential role within the Portugal national team
The Portugal captain confirmed that he will continue to support the team, whether he participated in the starting lineup or from the bench.
He pointed out that his experience is an important element within the group
He said
“I am always committed to helping the national team with everything I have. Whether I play or not, I will still have an important role within the team
Ronaldo has started in all four of Portugal’s matches in the tournament so far
He has only left the pitch once and has managed to score three goals
Portugal believes in its ability to win
Ronaldo explained that the Portugal national team has the ingredients that qualify it to compete for the World Cup title
He stressed that the team’s performance has gradually evolved since the beginning of the tournament
He said
“If we didn’t believe in winning the World Cup, we wouldn’t be here. Our level has improved from game to game, and we are ready to compete
He added
“I don’t think I played a bad tournament, I scored three goals. There are players who have scored more, and that’s normal, but I’m happy with what I’m doing
Fiery clash against Spain
Portugal prepares to face Spain in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup
In a meeting reminiscent of the historic match between the two teams in the 2018 World Cup, when Ronaldo scored a hat-trick that led Portugal to a 3-3 draw.
The Portuguese star hopes to lead his country to the quarter-finals, and continue the dream of winning the title in his last World Cup appearance
