Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d'Or winner as the world's best player, revealed on Tuesday in an interview in Riyadh that the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals will be his last. Thus, he brings an entire historical era to a close. The Al-Nassr striker, who explained that he is getting older and wants to retire from the sport soon, will participate in the World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, for the 23rd time. This will be his sixth World Cup in his career. Ronaldo (40 years old) answered a question at a Saudi forum via video link about whether the 2026 tournament would be his last World Cup, saying: "Yes, definitely. I will be 41 years old, and I think it will be the right moment." The former Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus star confirmed that he will retire "soon." He continued: "Let's be honest, when I say 'soon,' I mean maybe one or two more years in the game." Portugal has not yet secured its qualification for the finals, but it can do so by beating Ireland on Thursday in the penultimate round of the European qualifiers. Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr from Manchester United in 2022 after his second stint in England. The Portuguese star has become the face of football in this oil-rich Gulf country, which has attracted many football stars with huge contracts as part of a wide-ranging sports campaign to prepare for hosting the 2036 World Cup. Despite his illustrious career, Ronaldo has not yet been able to lead Portugal to win the World Cup.
