Portugal national team captain Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be his final "party" in his professional football career.
"This will be my last World Cup, but let's hope tomorrow isn't my last match," Ronaldo told reporters ahead of the last-16 match against Spain.
"I think my World Cup campaign has been quite good. I've scored three goals so far. Let's see if I can score again tomorrow."
The 41-year-old scored twice against Uzbekistan in the group stage and converted a penalty against Croatia in the round of 32, his first goal in the knockout stages of a World Cup.
He has scored in six consecutive World Cups since his debut in Germany in 2006, and with 11 World Cup goals, Ronaldo became the first man to score in six consecutive World Cups.
Asked repeatedly about retirement, Ronaldo said the decision would be his own.
"Whether I play or not, I will always have an important role in this national team. I will stop when I decide to stop, as I said many years ago," he said.
"Honestly, whatever happens tomorrow, I'll leave with a clear conscience, not 100 percent, but 1,000 percent. Because I've given everything in football," he added.
Ronaldo has made 232 appearances for Portugal and scored a record 146 international goals. He led his country to their first major title at Euro 2016 and then lifted the UEFA Nations League trophy in 2019 and 2025
While reminiscing about the tournament, an emotional Ronaldo praised the fans' spirit.
"This World Cup is marked by great public enthusiasm. It's not just our enthusiasm for playing in a competition of this magnitude, but also the enthusiasm of football fans everywhere," he said.
"This morning at breakfast, I met people from Venezuela and Colombia who told me their stories. Many of them had tears in their eyes as they looked at me. That's what really matters. That's what life is all about."
