Cristiano Ronaldo has officially confirmed that the 2026 World Cup will be his final major international tournament before retiring. The top goal scorer of all time shared the bittersweet news during a recent interview on CNN.
Cristiano Ronaldo says World Cup 2026 will ‘definitely’ be his last
Cristiano Ronaldo has dropped a major announcement, confirming that the upcoming 2026 World Cup will be his final.
The Portuguese footballer recently had a chat with CNN’s Becky Anderson at the Tourise Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday, where he shared the news.
During the interview, Anderson asked Ronaldo if he expected the 2026 World Cup to be his last. In response, the Portugal forward declared, “definitely.”
Ronaldo further expanded, saying, “I will be 41 years old and I think will be the moment in the big competition.” The star added, “I’m enjoying the moment, but when I mean soon, it’s really soon because I gave everything for football.”
Ronaldo concluded on a poignant note, saying, “I’m in the game for the last 25 years. I did everything. I have many records in the different scenarios in the clubs and also in the national teams. I’m really proud, so let’s enjoy the moment, live the moment.”
Portugal will qualify for the 2026 World Cup if the team beats the Republic of Ireland in the UEFA Qualifiers match on Thursday. If the team secures a spot on the table for next summer, it will mark Ronaldo’s sixth and final World Cup.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner had previously announced his wish to score 1,000 goals before he retires from the sport. The milestone is well within reach as he currently stands on 953. Needless to say, fans will be cheering on for the soccer legend to complete this personal mission as he gears up to battle for the golden trophy one last time.
