Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo has opened up about the one thing his fans most feared: retirement plans. The legendary player, till in top shape at the age of 40 has said that the 2026 FIFA World Cup would be his last World Cup and understandably so.
On Tuesday, November 11, 2025, the Al-Nassr FC frontman was a guest at the Tourism Summit in Riyadh. When asked if next year will see him play his last World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo said, "Definitely, yes".
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner will turn 41 on February 5 next year and will be 45 when the next World Cup comes around in 2030. "I’ll be 41, and I think that will be the right moment to step away from the big stage", Ronaldo said.
Cristiano Ronaldo with the illustrious career he has had, has one trophy missing from his much adorned cabinet: The World Cup. If he plays next year, it would be his sixth World Cup. He had made his debut at the tournament back in 2006 at the age of 21. He has won the Euro Cup with Portugal in 2016 and two UEFA Nations League trophies in 2019 and 2025.
Further talking about his retirement from professional football, the former Manchester United star said that he would hang up his boots "soon", probably in the next couple of years, a statement that would break the hearts of many football fans around the world.
"Let's be honest, when I mean soon, it's probably one or two years, I'll still be at the game", Ronaldo shared.
The Euro Cup winning captain has a staggering 953 goals to his name, across international and club football, and will look to hit the coveted 1000 goal mark, given he is only 47 goals away.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by USA, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 2026. Cristiano Ronaldo, in his last World Cup will lead his country Portugal, currently at the top of Group F in the European Qualifiers, to give a final shot at the most prized possession in football: The World Cup trophy.
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