Cristiano Ronaldo. Photo by Getty Images.
According to the BBC, Ronaldo, who has scored 953 goals in his career for clubs and the national team, also noted that he will finish his football career within one to two years.
The World Cup, which will take place in 2026 in Canada, Mexico, and the USA, will be his sixth, setting a record in football history.
In an interview at the Tourise Summit in Riyadh, when asked if this tournament would be his last, Ronaldo said: "Definitely yes. At 41, I think this will be the moment when I finish my appearances in major tournaments."
He currently plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia and holds the top spot in the list of male international football scorers with 143 goals for the Portugal national team. He also dreams of reaching the milestone of a thousand goals in his career.
Ronaldo, who previously played for Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, stated last week that he would retire "soon," and on Tuesday clarified that it would likely happen within the next two years.
To be honest, by "soon," I mean that I will probably stay in the game for another year or two.As part of the Portugal national team, Ronaldo became the European champion in 2016; however, the World Cup remains the only trophy he does not have, which is one of the few achievements that the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has not attained.
At this point, Roberto Martinez's team has not yet secured participation in the 2026 World Cup, but they can guarantee a spot as early as Thursday if they win against the Ireland national team.
