Ronaldo hints that he may feature at the 2026 World Cup
Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted that he may remain with the Portugal national team for the 2026 World Cup. The tournament is set to be co-hosted by the United States in two years. Ronaldo, 39, remains one of the most popular soccer superstars in the world, despite moving to the Middle East. He recently set YouTube subscriber records after creating his own account.
Ronaldo’s future has been a debated topic for much of the summer. The star recently featured heavily at Euro 2024. After starting every match in the competition, Portugal was eventually dropped out by France in the quarterfinals. Some felt as if the aging forward was holding the team back at the tournament.
Because of this feeling, there was speculation that it would be the final major competition for Ronaldo. The star, however, has now claimed that he does not plan to retire just yet. Speaking with Portuguese TV network Now, Ronaldo even asserted that he will likely remain in Saudi Arabia in the near future.
“I don’t know if I will retire soon, in two or three years, but probably I will retire here at Al-Nassr,” proclaimed Ronaldo. “I’m happy at this club, I feel good in this country too. I’m happy to play in Saudi Arabia and I want to continue.”
As World Cup 2026 prep begins, Ronaldo features with Portugal
Ronaldo’s current massive contract with the Saudi side is set to expire in 2025. There have been suggestions that he may opt to join Sporting CP before ending his career. The star previously featured for the Portuguese side before moving on to Manchester United.
Outside of his club career, Ronaldo also admitted that he is willing to keep playing for Portugal. “When I leave the national team, I won’t tell anyone in advance and it will be a very spontaneous decision on my part, but also a very well-thought-out one,” he continued.
“Right now what I want is to be able to help the national team in their upcoming matches. We have the Nations League ahead of us and I would really like to play.”
Portugal faces Croatia and Scotland in the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League in early September. Pairs of fixtures in this competition will then continue during October and December as well. Qualification for the 2026 World Cup in North America then starts for European teams in March 2025.
Portugal brass unlikely to deal with star’s decline
Players tend to typically retire from their national team before their clubs. Many stars can play for years at the club level after departing their national teams. Nevertheless, Ronaldo’s insistence to keep playing at Al Nassr for another two or three years should give American soccer fans hope ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Big players tend to want to play in the biggest matches. Assuming Ronaldo does continue at the club level for the next few years, he will also want to feature in the upcoming tournament. Outside of a potential injury, Portugal’s management may be the only obstacle standing in the star’s way to play at the 2026 World Cup. It does, however, seem unlikely that the team would force Ronaldo out of the squad.
PHOTOS: IMAGO.