DALLAS — Cristiano Ronaldo put any lingering speculation to rest Sunday, confirming that this FIFA World Cup will be the last of his legendary career — but not before expressing hope that Monday’s match against Spain won’t be his final game.
The 41-year-old made the announcement at the close of a press conference, drawing applause from the assembled journalists as he headed out.
“Let this be my last World Cup; it is my last World Cup, and I hope tomorrow won’t be my last match,” Ronaldo said.
Earlier in the same press conference, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward had been more guarded on the subject, deflecting the question and pointing out that he’ll be 45 years old when the next World Cup arrives in 2030.
“I will finish when I choose. You always ask the same question: is this the last one? We will see. I don’t want to draw attention to this, the most important thing is to play well tomorrow,” he initially told reporters.
Ronaldo went on to reflect on his long career and what drives him to keep playing at the highest level.
“I’m going to be perfectly honest, regardless of what happens tomorrow, Cristiano is going to be 1000% leaving with a clear conscience. I have given all I could to football, it’s my passion to play for so many years. I didn’t do it out of need, I’m doing well out of life. It’s about passion. I play for the national team and I love to play football.”
He also pushed back on any notion that he feels pressure to win, saying, “Regardless of what happens tomorrow I’m not going to exert pressure on myself that I must win. You have to enjoy every match at a huge competition like the World Cup. I think I’m not doing so bad. I’ve scored three goals, others have done better but I think I’m doing not so bad.”
Ronaldo appeared noticeably at ease throughout the session, saying this tournament has been more enjoyable than any of his previous five World Cup appearances. He expressed confidence that manager Roberto Martinez’s squad is ready to take on a Spanish side that has grown stronger as the competition has advanced.
“If we didn’t have this belief we wouldn’t be here,” Ronaldo said. “It’s been a beautiful experience, we’re getting better in every match. We know this is a tough competition and it’s impossible to always do well. Some good teams have been eliminated and that says everything. The team is well, calm and well prepared. We’re going to face a difficult team but I think we will be prepared.”
Monday’s match will mark Ronaldo’s 233rd cap for Portugal if he takes the field. Despite spending nine seasons at Real Madrid — giving him deep ties to Spain — his scoring record against the Spanish national team is relatively modest, with just four career goals. Among those, however, is a memorable hat-trick during a 3-3 group-stage draw at the 2018 World Cup.
Ronaldo acknowledged Spain’s pedigree while still backing Portugal to come out on top.
“Spain is always a contender to win the Euros, the Nations League, they have already won this competition,” he said. “Spain is the favourite. They have more titles than Portugal but this is a different competition with different players. There are injuries, there’s the heat.”
“I like playing against Spain, my record is quite good. I’ve played them 10 or 11 times and it’s quite balanced. It will be won on small details. I have this feeling we are going to win,” he added.
