Ronaldo states he will retire on his own terms as speculation swirls about his World Cup future ahead of the round‑of‑16 tie.
Published On 6 Jul 2026
Cristiano Ronaldo has once more declined to confirm that this World Cup will be his final tournament as Portugal prepares for a knockout clash with Spain.
Ronaldo emphasized on Sunday that he intends to end his football career without regrets as his team heads into the round‑of‑16 match against neighbours Spain.
At 41, the forward is competing in a record‑breaking sixth World Cup. While expectations are that he may have retired by the next tournament, he insists his departure will come on his own terms.
“I will finish when I choose. You always ask the same question: ‘Is this the last one?’ We will see. I don’t want to draw attention to this; the most important thing is to play well tomorrow,” Ronaldo told reporters ahead of Monday’s clash.
“I’m going to be perfectly honest, regardless of what happens tomorrow, Cristiano is going to be 1,000 percent leaving with a clear conscience.
“I have given all I could to football. It’s my passion to play for so many years. I didn’t do it out of need; I’m doing well out of life. It’s about passion. I play for the national team, and I love to play football.
“Regardless of what happens tomorrow, I’m not going to exert pressure on myself that I must win.
“You have to enjoy every match at a huge competition like the World Cup. I think I’m not doing so bad. I’ve scored three goals; others have done better, but I think I’m doing not so bad.”
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward will make his 233rd appearance for Portugal if he features against Spain, a nation he has a close connection to after spending nine seasons with the Spanish club.
His scoring record against Portugal’s Iberian neighbour, however, is limited, with only four goals against the Spanish. That total includes a hat‑trick in a 3‑3 draw during the group phase of the 2018 World Cup.
“Spain is always a contender to win the Euros, the Nations League; they have already won this competition,” he said.
“Spain is the favourite. They have more titles than Portugal, but this is a different competition with different players. There are injuries; there’s the heat.
“I like playing against Spain. My record is quite good. I’ve played them 10 or 11 times, and it’s quite balanced. It will be won on small details. I have this feeling we are going to win.
“What I have to do is enjoy it if it’s my last World Cup, and it’s not going to be my last match at a World Cup because I want to continue onward.”