Morocco have done it again. The African team has pulled off another upset at Qatar 2022 by eliminating Portugal from the World Cup, leaving Cristiano Ronaldo‘s future with the national team up in the air.
The Portuguese superstar now faces a challenging moment in his career. At 37, without a club, and having played a fifth World Cup, many wonder whether Ronaldo will be back for the 2026 tournament.
Ronaldo is one of many players who entered the tournament knowing this could be his last dance, and therefore his final shot to win the coveted trophy with his country. Will he give up after this elimination? Or is he going to try again?
Will Cristiano Ronaldo play in the 2026 World Cup?
Ronaldo refused to make a decision on his future before the tournament, so we don’t know yet whether he plans to continue playing by the time the 2026 World Cup takes place. While there are reasons to believe Qatar 2022 was his last World Cup, Ronaldo has already proven he should never be underestimated.
The fact he’s not getting any younger makes one think Ronaldo won’t play in another World Cup. In four years, Ronaldo will be 41. Can he still make it? Of course, Cristiano has already proven his ability to defy Father Time.
But the years pass, new players emerge, and Ronaldo will eventually have to make room for the younger generations. In the end, it’s a decision he’ll have to make. However, even if he decides to continue, the manager will decide whether to count on Ronaldo or not.
It’s too soon to tell, Ronaldo has time to think about his future. Either way, his legacy is untouchable. Portugal are out, but you can still predict the winner of Qatar 2022 using our World Cup Predictor.