Ronaldo confirms 2026 World Cup was his last as Portugal's future hangs in the balance

Cristiano Ronaldo brought the curtain down on his World Cup career after Portugal were eliminated by Spain 1-0 in the round of 16 on Monday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, but the 41-year-old stopped short of announcing a full international retirement, saying he needs time to reflect.

“It’s been my last World Cup, yes,” Ronaldo told reporters after the final whistle. “But now I will have time to think, stay with my family and life continues.”

Ronaldo was visibly emotional as he left the pitch to a loud ovation from the crowd, having played all 90 minutes of a match in which he touched the ball just 19 times. His tournament ended with three goals — two against Uzbekistan and a penalty against Croatia in the round of 32, the latter his first-ever World Cup knockout-stage goal across six appearances at the tournament.

His place in the starting line-up had been a point of debate throughout the competition, with Gonçalo Ramos widely regarded as Portugal’s most dynamic striking option. Ramos, who famously scored a hat-trick against Switzerland as a starter in the 2022 round of 16, came off the bench to head in a stoppage-time winner against Croatia but remained on the bench for the Spain defeat.

Former United States internationals Clint Dempsey and Carli Lloyd offered contrasting assessments of Portugal’s campaign. “I think Cristiano walks out of this tournament with his chest held high,” Dempsey said. “He scored three goals. He did what he could to try and help his team. It’s been a pleasure to watch him play.”

Lloyd was more critical of the collective performance. “What’s disappointing for me and probably a lot of others is, we talked about this Portuguese side that could potentially contend for and win this World Cup,” she said. “Their midfield being one of the best in the tournament and Bruno Fernandes not really having a pulse — there’s something off about this Portuguese side. They just haven’t been able to figure it out.”

With Euro 2028 on the horizon, the possibility of Ronaldo continuing his international career beyond the World Cup remains open. Should he choose to retire, he would do so as the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football with 146 goals. He also departs with three major honours for Portugal, including the defining achievement of his international career — three goals at Euro 2016, where he helped the nation claim its first major tournament title.

“I have given my best,” Ronaldo said. “I have won three titles for Portugal.”