ARLINGTON: Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed that the FIFA World Cup 2026 was the final World Cup of his illustrious career.
An emotional Ronaldo made the announcement after Portugal's 1-0 defeat to Spain in the Round of 16, saying that while he was bidding farewell to the FIFA World Cup, he would not rush into making a decision about his international future.
Speaking to the media after the match, Ronaldo said Spain had a measure of fortune on their side and that the contest could have gone either way.
"To leave the World Cup in this manner is extremely painful for me. I gave everything I had. I did my absolute best, and I am completely satisfied because I know I left nothing behind. Yes, this was my final World Cup, but now I will spend time with my family and calmly reflect on what comes next. I will not make any decisions in haste," Ronaldo said.
The 41-year-old did not clarify whether the match also marked his final international appearance for Portugal. He stressed that he did not want any personal decision to overshadow the national team's campaign.
"I never make decisions driven by emotion," he said.
Ronaldo also expressed pride in everything he had achieved with Portugal, saying he helped the nation accomplish milestones that had never been reached before.
"I won three major titles with Portugal. Before Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal had never won a major international trophy. The UEFA European Championship we won in 2016 means as much to me as winning the World Cup," he said.
Portugal's elimination from the World Cup also brought an end to the tenure of head coach Roberto Martínez. Ronaldo paid tribute to the Spanish coach and thanked him for his contribution to Portuguese football.
"I truly enjoyed working with him. He is an outstanding coach and an excellent human being. He deserves appreciation for everything he has done for Portugal. I thank him sincerely and wish him every success in the future," Ronaldo said.
The Al Nassr forward concluded by reflecting on Portugal's World Cup campaign.
"Being eliminated from a major tournament is always painful. This was the World Cup, and our team had been improving with every match. In my opinion, we performed well. The game could have gone either way, but that is football. We must recover from this defeat and move forward. Exiting the tournament like this is disappointing, but we must continue with our heads held high and take pride in what we achieved," he added.
