Cristiano Ronaldo Breaks Silence on Retirement After FIFA World Cup Exit

Cristiano Ronaldo’s final World Cup ended in heartbreak as Portugal suffered a 1-0 round-of-16 defeat to Spain, with Mikel Merino scoring a last-gasp winner.

However, the 41-year-old forward stopped short of confirming whether he had played his final game for Portugal, saying he would not make a rushed decision about his international future.

Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone after the match, Ronaldo said Spain had enjoyed “a bit of luck” to score through substitute Merino in the dying moments of a contest he believed could have gone either way.

“I’m sad to be leaving the World Cup like this,” Ronaldo said. “I gave it my all. I did my best and I’m leaving with a clear conscience. It was my last World Cup, yes, but I’ll now have time to reflect and be with my family. I won’t be making any rash decisions.”

Ronaldo said he did not want a personal decision about his future to overshadow Portugal’s World Cup campaign.

“I don’t make decisions in the heat of the moment,” he said.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who helped Portugal win the 2016 European Championship and the Nations League in 2019 and 2025, said he remained proud of his contribution to the national team.

“I’ve won three titles for Portugal; before Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal hadn’t won a single title,” he said.

“The biggest title the national team has ever won was in 2016, the European Championship, which, to be honest, is just as significant to me as a World Cup.”

Portugal’s elimination also came with Roberto Martinez’s departure as manager, and Ronaldo praised the Spaniard while reflecting on their time working together.

“I loved working with him,” Ronaldo said. “A great manager, a great human being, and what he’s done for Portugal is to be commended. I want to thank him and wish him every happiness…

“It’s always sad to be knocked out of a major tournament. It’s a World Cup. The team was really coming into its own. We played well, in my view. It could have gone either way, but that’s football. We have to pick ourselves up and carry on.

“It’s frustrating to go out like this, but we can hold our heads high,” added the Al-Nassr forward.