PORTUGUESE superstar Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday said next year’s World Cup would be his last as he winds down one of the all-time great careers.
The 40-year-old forward, with more than 950 club and international goals, also said he would retire from football in “one or two years”.
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“Definitely, yes,” he told a Saudi forum by video link, when asked if 2026 would be his World Cup swansong. “I’m gonna be 41 years old and I think it will be the moment.”
Ronaldo, who began a lucrative stint at Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr in 2023, also elaborated on comments last week when he said he would retire “soon”.
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“Let’s be honest, when I mean soon, it’s probably one or two years I’ll still be at the game,” he said.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is targeting a sixth World Cup next year. He came closest to lifting the trophy in 2006, when Portugal lost to France in the semi-finals.
Portugal have yet to qualify for the 2026 tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico, but can secure their spot if they beat Ireland on Thursday.
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Ronaldo joined Al Nassr after leaving Manchester United for a second time in late 2022, a move that heralded a influx of late-career stars to the oil-rich kingdom.
Saudi Arabia, which is spending big on sports and entertainment as part of its economic diversification plan, was named as host of the 2034 World Cup last December.
