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Cristiano Ronaldo Confirms 2026 World Cup Will Be His Last

The 40-year-old says he expects to finish his playing career within the next two years.

Overview

  • Speaking via video link to a Riyadh tourism forum and CNN, Ronaldo said the 2026 tournament will "definitely" be his final World Cup as he will be 41.
  • He clarified that "soon" means a retirement timeline of probably one to two years, not immediately.
  • Portugal has not yet qualified and needs two points from matches against Ireland and Armenia to book a place at the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
  • Ronaldo remains under contract at Al-Nassr after a two-year extension signed in June and continues to target the 1,000-goal career milestone.
  • He is the men’s all-time leading international scorer with 143 goals and would reach a record sixth World Cup appearance if Portugal qualify.