Is Cristiano Ronaldo retiring? Portugal star's sister says legend will step away from international soccer after World Cup
Is Cristiano Ronaldo retiring? Portugal star’s sister says legend will step away from international soccer after World Cup originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Love him or hate him, Cristiano Ronaldo has certainly left his mark on the pitch.
With nearly 1,000 goals for club and country under his belt, the Al-Nassr and Portugal superstar has reached the highest of zeniths during his glittering career. At 41, though, things have gotten slightly more turgid for the gifted goal-scorer, who has looked far less prolific than he did during his Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus years.
Ronaldo has been something of an albatross in Roberto Martinez’s attack, failing to offer much support in transitions and often neutering Portugal’s attacks. He still has the ability to score goals — he collected 30 in 37 matches for Al-Nassr. But his all-around play has tailed off in a major way, leading some to believe the end of his international career could be nigh.
Here’s what we know so far about Ronaldo’s future prospects at club and international level.
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Is Cristiano Ronaldo retiring?
Ronaldo hasn’t yet indicated what his next steps are following this year’s World Cup. He was one of the Saudi Pro League’s top scorers during the 2025-26 season, but has struggled to rediscover the form that made him the world’s most prolific goalscorer during this year’s World Cup.
The 41-year-old has tallied two goals at this year’s tournament, both of which came against an Uzbekistan side that crashed out in the group stage after conceding 11 goals in three games. He was toothless against DR Congo and Colombia, leading some to believe he is limiting Portugal’s potential to make a deep run in the tournament. Given his advanced age and dwindling skill set, some have called on the five-time Ballon d’Or winner to ride off into the sunset after this tournament and open the door for the next crop of Portuguese talent.
His sister, Katia, appeared to suggest that the end of Ronaldo’s international career could be fast approaching ahead of Portugal’s Round of 32 clash with Croatia.
MORE: Updates from Portugal’s knockout-round match vs. Croatia
What did Cristiano Ronaldo’s sister say about his impending retirement
Speaking with Portuguese outlet SportTV, Katia revealed that Ronaldo plans on retiring from the Portuguese national team after this year’s World Cup, citing information she obtained from “a reliable source.”
“Enjoy it while it lasts,” Katia said. “It’s not today that he’s saying goodbye, but it’s soon.
“I believe this is his farewell. Enjoy it a lot. It will be difficult to find someone like him. After a thousand goals? Yes, that’s something. I’m talking about the National Team. The information I have, from a reliable source, I believe this is his last dance.”
Será? 🤯#sporttvportugal#fifaworldcuppic.twitter.com/NerDryRUXd
— sport tv (@sporttvportugal) July 2, 2026
Will Cristiano Ronaldo continue to play club soccer?
If Ronaldo’s sister’s words are any indication, Ronaldo’s international career could be coming to a close following this year’s World Cup. Barring something unforeseen, he should continue to compete at the club level.
Ronaldo remains a high-level goal-scorer in the Saudi league, pouring in 129 goals in 148 games since arriving at Al-Nassr in 2022. Prior to last season, Ronaldo inked a two-year contract with the Saudi giants. He has one-year left on his extension, which should give him the opportunity to surpass the 1,000-goal mark. Given the amount of money Ronaldo commands — Goal reported that Ronaldo’s latest contract pays him more than one million pounds ever two days — it seems unlikely that he’ll hang up his cleats for good any sooner than 2027. As long as his production remains high, that timeline could grow longer; Al-Nassr sporting director Fernando Hierro hinted that the Jeddah-based club fought off competition from other sides to secure Ronaldo’s future, per ESPN.
