Portugal national team captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, has finally spoken out in response to speculation regarding his international future. The 41-year-old veteran forward emphasized that he has not yet made a final decision regarding his retirement plans, despite many calling the 2026 World Cup his final tournament.
This statement comes in response to comments from his sister, Katia Aveiro, who had previously hinted in the media that her brother was undergoing his "last dance" with the Selecao das Quinas squad. This speculation grew stronger ahead of Portugal's match against Croatia in the round of 32.
However, after helping Portugal advance to the round of 16 through a dramatic 2-1 victory, Ronaldo chose to postpone any discussion regarding his career. He stressed the importance of maintaining calmness when making major decisions, rather than following the flow of emotions in the midst of an ongoing tournament.
"My future is not an urgent topic at the moment. I will talk about it later after the World Cup ends, whether we win or lose. The decision will be made with careful consideration alongside my family, not when emotions are running high," Ronaldo told Sport TV.
Ronaldo's stance practically refutes Katia Aveiro's previous statement, which asked fans to enjoy every remaining appearance of Ronaldo as she felt his time at the national team level was coming to an end. Nonetheless, Ronaldo now chooses to shift his entire focus to the big round of 16 match against Spain next Monday (6/7).
