Cristiano Ronaldo confirms he will retire in ‘one or two years’, with the 2026 World Cup being his last major tournament, as he aims to spend more time with his family.
Cristiano Ronaldo has put a timeline on his retirement, stating that he will hang up his boots in “one or two years”. The Portugal forward, who has scored over 950 goals for club and country, made the comments in an interview, confirming that the 2026 World Cup will be his last major tournament.
Ronaldo, 40, extended his contract with Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr until 2027 in June, but said that he is targeting the World Cup as his swansong on football’s biggest stage. “Soon for me means in 10 years… No, I’m joking,” Ronaldo said via video call at a Saudi-hosted global summit on tourism and investment.
The Portugal captain has been in excellent form, scoring goals and feeling “quick and sharp”. He is enjoying his game and is proud of his achievements, including being the top scorer in history with 143 international goals.
When asked about his son Cristiano Jr., who is following in his footsteps, Ronaldo said he wishes his kids would be better than him. “As human beings, we don’t always want anybody to be better than us. But I wish my kids would be better than me,” he said.
Ronaldo emphasised that he wants his son to be happy and free, without pressure from his father’s legacy. “I don’t want to add pressure to that, because what I want for him is to be happy,” he said.
The World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico will be Ronaldo’s last major tournament, and he is determined to make it a memorable one. With Portugal on the verge of qualifying, Ronaldo is excited to represent his country one last time.
