Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed that the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be his final one. The 41-year-old hopes Portugal's campaign continues beyond the Round of 16 clash against Spain and dismissed questions about his retirement.
Ronaldo Confirms Final World Cup Appearance
Addressing the media ahead of Monday's knockout fixture, the 41-year-old ended speculation surrounding his World Cup future while expressing hope that Portugal's campaign would continue beyond the last 16. "I want to enjoy it as much as possible, because it will be my last World Cup, yes. But I hope that tomorrow won't be my last game in the World Cup," Ronaldo said, as per OneFootball.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner, who has started all four of Portugal's matches at the tournament and scored three goals, also dismissed repeated questions about retirement, insisting his focus remains solely on helping the national team.
'I'll Retire When I Want To'
"I'm always committed, body and soul, to helping the National Team. Whether I'm playing or not, I'll always have an important role," he continued. "I'll finish [retire] when I want to, not when you want me to. It's a waste of time to keep asking that question. But I don't want to draw attention to that. The most important thing is tomorrow," he added.
Portugal's Trophy Ambitions
Despite acknowledging that this will be his final World Cup, Ronaldo made it clear Portugal have arrived with ambitions of lifting the trophy. "If we didn't have the idea that we could win the World Cup, we wouldn't be here. It's been a beautiful experience. We've improved game by game," he said, according to OneFootball.
"We know it's a competition where it's impossible to play well in every game, and it's not easy for anyone; just look at who's already been eliminated. I see the team as calm; we've trained well, we've prepared well," said Ronaldo.
On Personal Form
Asked about his own form, Ronaldo added, "I don't think I've been doing that badly... I've scored three goals. Others have scored more, but because they are doing very well. They feel very good. But let's see if I can score tomorrow".
Blockbuster Round of 16 Clash Against Spain
Portugal head into the clash after a dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia in the Round of 32, with Goncalo Ramos scoring a stoppage-time winner to keep their title hopes alive. Roberto Martinez's side are chasing back-to-back FIFA World Cup quarter-final appearances for the first time in the nation's history, although they have not won successive World Cup knockout matches since 2006.
Standing in their way is a Spain side that has impressed throughout the tournament. Luis de la Fuente's men stormed into the Round of 16 with a commanding 3-0 win over Austria and became the first team since Germany in the 2014 World Cup final to prevent their opponents from registering a single shot on target in a knockout match.
The Iberian rivals last met at the World Cup in 2018, when Ronaldo scored a memorable hat-trick in a thrilling 3-3 draw. Portugal will now hope their captain can produce another decisive performance and extend his farewell World Cup journey by at least one more match. (ANI)
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