Cristiano Ronaldo Confirms 2026 World Cup Exit Marks His Final Tournament

Cristiano Ronaldo reiterated that the 2026 World Cup will be his last, following Portugal's 1-0 defeat to Spain in the round of 16. The 41-year-old star expressed sadness over the exit but emphasized he gave his all and leaves with a clear conscience. "Yes, this was my last World Cup," Ronaldo said, adding he will take time to reflect and be with family before deciding on his future.

Ronaldo finished the tournament with three goals, marking his first time scoring in knockout stages and extending his record as the only player to score in six different World Cups. Overall, he has 11 World Cup goals in 27 appearances, ranking ninth and second all-time respectively. Despite these achievements, he acknowledged his World Cup career was not among the most brilliant in history.

Reflecting on his legacy, Ronaldo highlighted Portugal's success during his tenure, stating, "Before me, Portugal had won nothing. Winning Euro 2016 is on the same level as winning the World Cup." His standout World Cup performance came in 2018 with a hat-trick against Spain, although Portugal did not advance past the group stage that year.

Ronaldo plans to continue playing at least one more season with Al-Nassr, aiming to become the first player to reach 1,000 official career goals. Currently, he has 976 goals, including 146 for Portugal, making him the top scorer in international football history.