Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed that the 2026 World Cup will be his last edition playing for Portugal, though he remarked that “I’m not missing anything in life.” Cristiano Ronaldo has rewritten the history books by competing in his sixth career tournament at 41 years old, embracing yet another high-stakes opportunity to capture soccer’s most elusive prize. With speculation regarding his retirement from the Portugal national team swirling, Ronaldo officially confirmed that the 2026 World Cup will be his final tournament run, while poignantly noting that he is “not missing anything in life.”
Ronaldo took the podium at Sunday’s press conference ahead of a highly anticipated Round of 16 clash against Spain, and when pressed about his emotions building up to the match and what remains for him in his “last World Cup,” the superstar opened up: “The last World Cup. An interesting question, I like it. What remains are the people. The people who love us, the people to whom we can give different kinds of moments. And I see the people working all around us. These are spectacular memories.
The 2026 edition also signals the end of an era for both Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, two icons who have dominated the sport’s grandest stages for over two decades. Prompted by an Argentine journalist, Ronaldo playfully reminisced about a recent flight where an flight attendant from Argentina seemed hesitant to approach him. “I told her, ‘I know you’re Argentine. You looked at me and quickly looked away, you guys don’t like me…‘ But my wife is Argentine. It’s all good.“
Cristiano Ronaldo #7 of Portugal during the Croatia game.
Ronaldo concluded his response by reflecting on his mindset for the knockout rounds, reinforcing that this tournament represents his final bow on the sport’s biggest stage: “It’s about enjoying it to the fullest. It will be the last World Cup, yes. It’s about enjoying it.“
Following his performance against Croatia, Ronaldo has now logged 26 career appearances in the competition, placing him second on the all-time list behind only Messi, while boasting 11 goals and two assists. Monday’s Round of 16 showdown against Spain will serve as a massive turning point for his legacy, though he reassured reporters that he is fully prepared and simply savoring his final moments on the pitch in North America.
Ronaldo ‘not missing anything in life’ during final championship chase
Having cemented an unparalleled club legacy in Europe, guided Portugal to their first major international trophies, and established himself as the most prolific goalscorer in soccer history, Ronaldo continues to push boundaries by becoming the oldest player ever to score in a World Cup knockout match at 41 years of age. Yet, the prestigious tournament trophy has famously eluded the legendary striker despite his otherwise overflowing display case.
When asked if he entered this tournament free from the suffocating pressure to win and purely focused on the experience, Ronaldo was direct: “I am not missing anything in life. God has been very generous with me and gave me everything I never expected to win. Especially with the national team and even on a personal level. It’s about enjoying every moment. I am not going to be more Cristiano for winning the World Cup, nor less for not winning it.“
The Portuguese forward closed his remarks by reiterating that while his personal legacy is secure, the collective dream remains to push all the way to the final.”Of course, we are here with hope, but we know that only one team is going to win. It’s about enjoying it, not thinking about tomorrow. That was something I learned. One of the things age gives you is maturity, experience, and putting things into perspective while softening a lot of edges,” he concluded.