Cristiano Ronaldo set for historic last hurrah at 2026 World Cup

The 2026 World Cup will be historic for Cristiano Ronaldo, whether Portugal wins the tournament or not.

Ronaldo — along with his longtime partner in soccer excellence Lionel Messi — is set to play in a record-setting sixth World Cup.

For the 41-year-old Ronaldo, the 2026 World Cup figures to be last international hurrah for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner. Can the sixth time be the charm for Ronaldo and Portugal?

With Messi finally delivering World Cup glory for Argentina in 2022, Ronaldo overtook the undesirable designation of the greatest-ever player to never win a World Cup, a list of icons that includes (but is not exclusive to) Robert Lewandowski, Johan Cruyff, Ferenc Puskas, Eusebio, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Michel Platini.

Ronaldo — who is signed with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr until 2027 — has stated that the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States will be his last.

“Definitely, yes, because I will be 41 years old,” said Ronaldo, who helped Portugal win the 2016 Euro. “I feel very good in this moment. I score goals, I still feel quick and sharp. I’m enjoying my game in the national team.

“But of course, let’s be honest. What I mean by soon, it’s probably one or two years.”

With World Cup qualifying now complete, national teams around the globe are turning their attention toward soccer’s biggest tournament.

These are 12 incredible players to watch as they represent their countries on the World Cup stage.

Above, Sweden’s Alexander Isak plays for his national team. The forward is set to be one of the key figures for Sweden at the World Cup as he continues his role leading the attack for club and country.

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With World Cup qualifying now complete, national teams around the globe are turning their attention toward soccer’s biggest tournament.

These are 12 incredible players to watch as they represent their countries on the World Cup stage.

Above, Sweden’s Alexander Isak plays for his national team. The forward is set to be one of the key figures for Sweden at the World Cup as he continues his role leading the attack for club and country.

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Ermedin Demirovic of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

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Iraq’s forward Ayman Hussein, left.

Father time is undefeated and the physical demands of soccer are catching up to Ronaldo, who did not make Portugal’s roster for a pair of friendlies against Mexico and the U.S. in March.

A hamstring issue kept him out of those World Cup tune-up matches, but Portugal coach Roberto Martinez has reiterated that Ronaldo will be a key part of the team’s World Cup squad.

“Cristiano is our captain, a role model and a player with a real hunger,” Martinez said. “He’s not just a 41-year-old player; he’s a player who’s hungry to improve every day. He’s proving to be an exemplary captain and an inspiration to the younger players, someone who shows the way and embodies our values.”

An incredible statistical milestone beckons for Ronaldo as he finishes out his illustrious career: 1,000 career goals for club and country. (by comparison, the 38-year-old Messi recently scored his 900th goal for club and country.)

Ronaldo remains one of the game’s preeminent goal-scoring threats (he scored eight goals in nine appearances for Portugal in 2025 and has 24 goals in 27 appearances for Al-Nassr during the 2025-26 season). However, does he still have enough left in the tank to lift Portugal to World Cup glory?

In Ronaldo’s previous five World Cups, the best Portugal has finished is fourth … and that came in his first World Cup in 2006. That’s a long time ago. At the previous World Cup in Qatar, Portugal was bounced in the quarterfinals by Morocco. Sandwiched between Round of 16 exits in 2010 and 2018 was a 2014 World Cup in which Portugal failed to get out of the group. Of course, that was a “Group of Death” featuring eventual champion Germany, the U.S. and Ghana.

At the 2026 World Cup, Portugal is in Group K with Colombia, DR Congo and Uzbekistan. It would be a massive disappointment for Portugal to not get out of the group. What happens in the knockout stage might depend on the fitness of one of the game’s all-time greats.