Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal are on the verge of securing qualification for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Despite not yet being mathematically qualified, the Portuguese captain confirmed a major decision regarding his future in the sport.
In an interview with Becky Anderson of CNN at the TOURISE tourism forum in Saudi Arabia, Cristiano Ronaldo discussed his career path and confirmed that the 2026 World Cup will be the last one he plays in, should Portugal secure their spot.
“Will it be my last World Cup? Surely, that’s true because I will be 41 years old, and I think in this great competition, I don’t know… As I said, I am enjoying this moment,” the Portuguese star explained.
Despite the pending qualification, Portugal are extremely close to securing their highly anticipated ticket. Roberto Martinez’s side will face Ireland on November 13th and Armenia on November 16th in their final two qualifying matches—and they need just one point from those games to guarantee their place at the 2026 World Cup.
If Portugal qualify, Cristiano Ronaldo will once again write his name into the history books, as he will become the player with the most appearances in a World Cup, reaching six.
However, there is a chance that Lionel Messi could reach this milestone as well. If the Argentine captain decides to participate and defend the title he won in 2022, then he will also reach his sixth World Cup appearence of his career.
Ronaldo about his retirement
In the same interview, Ronaldo reflected on how much time he has left as a professional player. The Portuguese indicated that he feels excellent right now, but expects to hang up his boots within the next couple of years.
“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. But, of course, let’s be honest, when I mean soon I mean probably one, two years,” Cristiano said.
Finally, the Al Nassr captain concluded that he has already given everything to soccer, having won numerous titles and achieved major records. The statistics back up his claim, as he currently holds 36 professional titles and is the sport’s all-time leading scorer with 953 goals, putting him firmly on track to be the only player to reach 1,000 official career goals.
“I’m enjoying the moment. But when I mean soon, it’s really soon, because I give everything for soccer. I’m in the game for the last 25 years, I did everything. I have many records. I’m really proud. So let’s enjoy the moment, live the moment,” Ronaldo concluded.