The famous forward of the Portugal national team, Cristiano Ronaldo, has confirmed that the 2026 World Cup will be the final stage of his career. This was reported by the BBC.
Currently, the 40-year-old forward plans to end his playing career within one to two years. The World Cup, which will take place in Canada, Mexico, and the USA, will be his sixth, which is a unique achievement in the world of football.
In an interview at the Tourise Summit event in Riyadh, Ronaldo stated:
“Definitely yes. I will be 41 years old, and I think that is when I will finish my appearances in major tournaments.”
Currently, Ronaldo, who plays for the Saudi club Al-Nassr, remains the top scorer in the history of men's international football, with 143 goals for the Portugal national team. In total, he has scored 953 goals in official matches for clubs and the national team and openly expresses his desire to reach the milestone of 1000 goals in his career.
Earlier, Ronaldo, who has played for clubs such as Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, hinted at the end of his career, specifying that it could happen in the next two years:
“To be honest, by ‘soon’ I mean that I will probably continue to play for another year or two.”
With Ronaldo, the Portugal national team won the European Championship title in 2016; however, the World Cup remains the only trophy that the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has not been able to secure.
Currently, the Portugal national team, under the guidance of Roberto Martinez, has not yet guaranteed a place in the 2026 World Cup but has the opportunity to secure participation in the tournament if they win against the Ireland team next Thursday.
