 "'Definitely, yes': Cristiano Ronaldo confirms 2026 FIFA World Cup will be his last")
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the final one for Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portugal legend confirmed on Tuesday. The 40-year-old had recently said that he will be retiring soon, triggering speculations on whether he will be a part of the 2026 tournament or not. He clarified that soon meant “probably one, two years.”
During an interaction at the Tourise Summit in Riyadh, Ronaldo was asked whether 2026 would be his last World Cup. “Definitely, yes,” he replied. “I will be 41 years old and I think [this] will be the moment in the big competition.”
“Let’s be honest, when I mean soon, it’s probably one or two years I’ll still be at the game,” he said.
Ronaldo, along with his long-time on-field rival Lionel Messi, will be playing a record sixth World Cup if they participate in the 2026 event that will take place across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Portugal on verge of qualification
Portugal are on the verge of sealing qualification for the 2026 showpiece as the Ronaldo-led side remains just two points shy of confirming their spot. In the ongoing international break, Portugal will play Ireland on Thursday before hosting Armenia on Sunday. A win or even two draws will be enough for Ronaldo to confirm his sixth World Cup ticket.
The Al-Nassr star has already struck five times in four qualifying games, extending his record of most international goals to 143.
He said he is still feeling “quick and sharp.”
“I feel very good in this moment. I score goals, I still feel quick and sharp, I’m enjoying my game in the national team,” he said.
Despite leading the charts for most international goals, Ronaldo is yet to score in a World Cup knockout game. The World Cup trophy also remains a glaring miss in the cabinet of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who will have the final chance to get the title in June-July 2026.
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