Cristiano Ronaldo has dismissed growing speculation that he has already decided to retire from international football after the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting he will only make a decision after discussing the matter with his family once Portugal's campaign comes to an end.
Ronaldo Responds to Retirement Rumours
The Portugal captain addressed the rumours shortly after inspiring Roberto Martinez's side to a dramatic victory over Croatia in the round of 32, making it clear that his immediate focus remains on helping his country challenge for World Cup glory. Reports in Portugal had suggested that Ronaldo's sister, Katia Aveiro, believed the tournament in North America would be the final chapter of the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's remarkable international career. Those comments surfaced only minutes before Portugal kicked off against Croatia in Toronto, but Ronaldo wasted little time reminding supporters that no final decision has been made.
Speaking after Portugal secured qualification for the next round, the 41-year-old insisted he has no intention of discussing retirement while the tournament is still ongoing. Instead, the veteran forward explained that he would carefully evaluate his future once Portugal's World Cup journey is over. "My future isn't important right now. I'll have time, after winning or losing, I'll talk to my family and then make the best decision," Ronaldo said. "I don't make decisions in the heat of the moment anymore. Now, everything is done calmly. It's about enjoying the present."
Sister Predicted World Cup Farewell
Earlier on Friday, Ronaldo's elder sister Katia Aveiro was quoted as claiming she believed the ongoing World Cup would be her brother's final appearance for the national team. According to Sport TV, she said the information came from a trusted source and urged supporters to savour every remaining moment. "From the information I have, from a reliable source, I believe that this is the last dance, so let's enjoy it. I believe it's not today that they'll say goodbye, but it's coming soon. I strongly believe this is the farewell. So enjoy it a lot because it will be difficult to find someone after 200 goals. I'm talking about the Portuguese national team," she said.
Although Ronaldo did not directly address his sister's remarks, his post-match comments suggested no decision has yet been finalised.
Ronaldo Delivers When Portugal Needed Him
While speculation surrounded his future, Ronaldo once again proved decisive on the pitch. The Al-Nassr striker converted a second-half penalty to level the scores at 1-1 after Croatia had threatened to eliminate Portugal. According to the BBC, it was his third goal of the tournament after previously scoring twice during the group stage against Uzbekistan, where his passionate celebration included shouting, "I'm back" into the television cameras. Portugal eventually completed the comeback deep into stoppage time when Gonçalo Ramos found the winning goal to send Roberto Martinez's side into the round of 16. The victory also ended Ronaldo's long wait for a knockout-stage World Cup goal, having previously gone nine matches without scoring in the latter stages of the competition. He had earlier thought he had opened the scoring from open play before the effort was ruled out for offside.
Ronaldo Sets New World Cup Records
Legit.ng previously reported that Cristiano Ronaldo continued rewriting football history during the 2026 FIFA World Cup by setting seven new tournament records. Among the milestones, the Portugal captain became the first player to score in six different FIFA World Cup editions, having found the net in Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, Qatar 2022 and the ongoing tournament in North America.
