Cristiano Ronaldo confirms 2026 World Cup as his final tournament

Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo stated on Tuesday that the 2026 World Cup will be his last, marking the close of an extraordinary career in the sport.

The 40-year-old striker, boasting over 950 goals for clubs and country, added that he plans to step away from professional football in one or two years time.

"Definitely, yes," he responded during a video appearance at a Saudi event, when questioned about whether 2026 would mark his World Cup farewell. "I will be 41 then, and I believe that is the right time."

Ronaldo, who joined Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia on a high-value deal in 2023, expanded on his recent remarks about retiring soon.

"To be frank, by soon I mean I have one or two more years left in the game," he explained.

The winner of five Ballon d'Or awards aims to feature in a sixth World Cup in 2026. His nearest chance at the title came in his first tournament in 2006, where Portugal fell to France in the semi-finals.

Portugal still needs to earn qualification for the 2026 event across the USA, Canada, and Mexico, but they could clinch it with a victory over Ireland on Thursday.

Just last month, Ronaldo set a new record as the highest scorer in World Cup qualifying rounds, bagging two goals against Hungary to hit 41 and surpass the 39 from former Guatemalan player Carlos Ruiz.

The ex-Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus player holds the record for most international goals with 143.

In a recent chat on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Ronaldo discussed the emotional side of his approaching retirement.

"Will it be tough? Absolutely. I might shed tears, sure. I am quite open about my feelings. It will be extremely challenging," he admitted.

After departing Manchester United again in late 2022, Ronaldo moved to Al Nassr, sparking a wave of veteran players heading to the wealthy Gulf nation.

He reportedly earns 200 million euros annually, per a club insider from the signing period, and extended his two-year deal in June.

Bloomberg recently dubbed him the first billionaire in sports, and he claimed the top spot on Forbes highest-paid footballers list for the sixth time over ten years.

With total earnings projected at $280 million on and off the pitch, Ronaldo is set to outpace second-place Lionel Messi by more than twice in the coming season, as per Forbes.

As part of its push to broaden its economy, Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in sports and leisure, and it was selected to host the 2034 World Cup in December last year.