ARLINGTON, Texas — Ahead of Portugal’s highly anticipated round-of-16 World Cup clash against neighboring rival Spain, Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo opened up in a rare Sunday press conference, confirming that this sixth World Cup appearance of his decorated career will be his last. What began as a lighthearted press interaction eventually turned thoughtful, as the 41-year-old global superstar reflected on his legacy, his journey in international football, and what he expects from the knockout stage matchup.
The event kicked off with playful banter between Ronaldo and an Argentine reporter, with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner recalling a lighthearted exchange with an Argentine flight attendant on his team’s trip to the United States. “Yesterday on the flight, there was an Argentine flight attendant,” Ronaldo shared through an interpreter with a grin. “I knew she was Argentine by the way she looked at me… If you look away quickly, it means you don’t like Cristiano.”
Setting aside the humor, Ronaldo made clear that this tournament marks the final chapter of his decades-long World Cup career, a comment he first made publicly in a television interview late last year, just months after Portugal lifted the UEFA Nations League trophy in a thrilling penalty shootout victory over Spain.
“ I want to enjoy what will be my last World Cup to the fullest,” he said. “Hopefully, tomorrow won’t be my last match. That way, you can keep bashing me some more.”
Over the 25-minute press conference held at the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, nearly every question from the packed room of reporters circled back to one widely assumed reality: this tournament is Ronaldo’s final run on football’s biggest global stage. When pressed on retirement, he joked that reporters were eager to push him out the door, but quickly shifted to philosophical reflection on everything he has achieved in the sport.
“There’s nothing missing,” Ronaldo said. “God was so generous toward me. He gave me everything I never expected to win, especially at the national team. And personally, the same thing. So it’s enjoying every moment. I’m not going to be more Cristiano or less Cristiano because I win the World Cup. Of course, we all have hopes, myself especially, and we all want all the conditions to win. But we know that only one is going to win.”
Ronaldo’s World Cup farewell comes eight years after he made history as the oldest player to record a World Cup hat trick, a feat he achieved at age 33 in a dramatic 3-3 group stage draw against Spain. Notably, that 2018 matchup ended with neither powerhouse advancing past the group stage, adding extra stakes to their 2022 knockout encounter.
Heading into the round-of-16, Portugal is aiming to reach the quarterfinals for the second consecutive World Cup. The furthest the nation has ever advanced in the tournament was a semifinal run during Ronaldo’s World Cup debut in 2006.
Ronaldo has already made his mark on this tournament, notching the tying goal in Portugal’s 2-1 round-of-32 win over Croatia, bringing his total World Cup goal count to 11, with three of those coming in 2022. That match pitted two of football’s most iconic veteran stars against each other: Ronaldo, 41, against Croatian playmaker Luka Modric, 40, who was competing in his fifth World Cup.
Acknowledging the natural changes that come with age, Ronaldo noted he has adapted his game over the years. “What I have done throughout my career is to adjust to the nuances of age, knowing that I’m not the player I used to be,” he said. “But one thing I can understand very clearly is nothing has changed because I can still score a goal. I hope I do that tomorrow, and if I don’t, I hope others on the team do.”
A correction was issued following the initial publication of this report, fixing an erroneous reference that incorrectly listed Manchester City as one of Ronaldo’s former club sides.