Cristiano Ronaldo confirms 2026 World Cup will be his last

Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed that the 2026 World Cup will be his last, as he prepares to grace that tournament for a record-shattering sixth time, Report informs via Goal.

The evergreen 40-year-old continues to make himself available for Portugal, but recently stated that retirement may not be too far away. He has now joked that he could prolong his remarkable career for another 10 years.

Ronaldo, who continues to ply his club trade in the Saudi Pro League for Al-Nassr, told a tourism forum in Riyadh when asked if next summer's showpiece in the United States, Canada and Mexico will represent his farewell to the grandest of international stages: "Yes, for sure, I will be 41 years old and I think that will be the time. I think in this big competition, I don't know... As I said, I'm enjoying this moment."

While Ronaldo is readying himself for a last dance with Portugal – having previously helped them to European Championship and UEFA Nations League glory – he is not ready to walk away from football entirely.

The summer of 2025 saw the five-time Ballon d'Or winner commit to a new two-year contract with Al-Nassr. He intends to honor that agreement while continuing to chase down 1,000 career goals.

As he plays on beyond the age of 42, there is a chance that he will get to grace the same team as eldest son Cristiano Jr, who has already started to make his way through the youth categories with Portugal and has been catching the eye in Al-Nassr's academy system.

Many have suggested that Ronaldo will seek to emulate NBA superstar LeBron James by playing competitively alongside his child. CR7 has suggested that he will give Junior longer in which to forge a professional career of his own.

The Portuguese GOAT recently told Piers Morgan that a day in which to hang up iconic boots for the final time may not be too far off. He has now joked that when he said "soon" he meant "that will happen in 10 years". Ronaldo added: "That means soon for me. People think that when I talk about retiring soon, it means it will be in six months or a year. I'm just kidding!" He went on to say: "Let's be honest, when I say soon, it probably means another year or two."

Ronaldo has admitted on a regular basis that he can no longer plan long-term, with it clear that he is close to completing what has been a remarkable career. Knowing that the end is in sight is allowing him to take greater enjoyment from his achievements.

He has now said of playing with a smile on his face: "When you reach a certain age, you start counting the months quickly. In football, I try to enjoy scoring goals. As you know, I'm 40 years old, I try to enjoy the moment and move forward. My body is in good shape, I think. As for my performance with the national team, I score goals and help the team. I want to win titles. This is my life."

Major silverware remains up for grabs to Ronaldo with Al-Nassr and Portugal. He has enjoyed a productive start to the 2025-26 campaign, registering 10 goals through 11 appearances - helping Jorge Jesus' side to a maximum haul of 24 points from eight games as they sit proudly atop of the Saudi Pro League table.

Having only collected one trophy during his time in the Middle East, Ronaldo is determined to right that wrong in the not-too-distant future - with fellow countryman Joao Felix now starring alongside him in Riyadh.

On the international stage, Ronaldo has claimed that he does not need to emulate the World Cup win of eternal rival Lionel Messi in order to cement his legacy. He is, however, considered to be desperate to land a global crown and complete his medal collection in 2026 - with Portugal boasting the talent to make that dream a reality.