Cristiano Ronaldo (X/@Cristiano)
Cristiano Ronaldo has finally dropped a big hint about when he plans to retire from football. Just a week after telling Piers Morgan that his retirement “is not far away,” the Portuguese legend has now confirmed that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be his final tournament.
Speaking via video link at a Saudi forum, Ronaldo said, “Definitely, yes. I’m gonna be 41 years old, and I think it will be the moment.” The 2026 World Cup, hosted across the USA, Mexico, and Canada, will mark his sixth appearance in the competition. Despite his illustrious career, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has never lifted the World Cup trophy.
The Al Nassr forward, however, made it clear that his retirement will not happen immediately. “Let’s be honest, when I mean soon, it’s probably one or two years. I’ll still be at the game,” he said, suggesting that fans will continue to see him on the pitch until at least 2026.
This means Ronaldo might miss the chance to play the 2030 World Cup, which Portugal will co-host with Spain and Morocco.
In his recent conversation with British journalist Piers Morgan on his YouTube channel Piers Morgan Uncensored, Ronaldo said he knows it will be hard to say goodbye to football. “Soon. I think I will be prepared. I will cry, yes. I am an easy guy to cry. It will be very, very difficult. But I prepared my future since I was 25 or 26. I think I’ll be capable to support my future.”
Ronaldo added that nothing will match the joy of scoring a goal, but he’s ready to focus on his family after retirement. “I want to be a better family person. I want to follow Cristiano Jr. He’s at an age where you start to do stupid things, normal, because I did the same,” he said.
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
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