Cristiano Ronaldo tells CNN the 2026 World Cup will ‘definitely’ be his last

Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo during the UEFA Nations League 2025 semifinal match in Germany on June 4. (Alex Grimm/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

Portugal superstar forward Cristiano Ronaldo said the 2026 FIFA World Cup will “definitely’ be his last.

“I will be 41 years old and I think will be the moment in the big competition,” Ronaldo told CNN’s Becky Anderson in an interview at the Tourise Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday.

As for when he’ll retire from the sport for good, Ronaldo said, “I’m enjoying the moment, but when I mean soon, it’s really soon because I gave everything for football,” the all-time leading goal scorer in international soccer history.

“I’m in the game for the last 25 years. I did everything. I have many records in the different scenarios in the clubs and also in the national teams. I’m really proud, so let’s enjoy the moment, live the moment.”

Ronaldo has scored 143 international goals and is the first-ever male player to score at five World Cups.

The expanded 48-team tournament, the largest in history, kicks off June 11, 2026, in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

The World Cup draw is scheduled for Dec. 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Earlier this year, Ronaldo became the sport’s first ever billionaire player following a contract he signed with Al Nassr, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Ronaldo also said he hopes his son Cristiano Jr., who plays in the Portugal under-16 club, ends up being a better player than him on the pitch.

“Human beings, we don’t want nobody being better than us,” Ronaldo said. “But in my point, I wish if my kids will be better than me, I’m never going to be jealous of him, trust me.”

Ronaldo said all he wants is for his son to be happy and not have to endure any pressure of being his son.

“As a father, I’m here to help him to be whatever he wants to be.”

By Michelle Velez, Wayne Sterling, CNN