Cristiano Ronaldo Bids Farewell to FIFA World Cup Journey
Cristiano Ronaldo's Final World Cup Appearance
File image of Portugal's star player Cristiano Ronaldo(Photo: @JacobsBen/X)
Arlington, July 7: Cristiano Ronaldo has officially announced that he has played his last FIFA World Cup, concluding his journey after Portugal's elimination in the Round of 16 against Spain at Dallas Stadium.
The 41-year-old concludes his World Cup career with 27 matches, ranking second only to Argentina's Lionel Messi, who has 30 appearances, yet he leaves without the coveted trophy that has eluded him.
During his World Cup tenure, Ronaldo netted 11 goals across 27 matches, achieving several records, including being the first male player to score in six different tournaments. In this latest edition, he scored three goals, highlighted by two in Portugal's emphatic 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan and his inaugural knockout goal, a penalty that advanced Portugal past Croatia in the Round of 32.
After the match, he expressed his feelings to SportTV, stating, “I’m fine, sad to leave the World Cup this way. But, as I said yesterday in the press conference, I gave my best and I leave with a clear conscience.”
He added, “That’s the life of a football player. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, and we need to keep going. The truth is that it was my last World Cup, and now I will have time with my family to reflect.”
Ronaldo made his World Cup debut in Germany 2006, where he scored his first tournament goal against Iran, helping Portugal reach the semi-finals for the first time in 40 years. He continued to score in subsequent tournaments: South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, and Qatar 2022.
“I will wake up tomorrow with a clear conscience. I won three titles for Portugal (one European Championship and two UEFA Nations Leagues). Before Cristiano, Portugal had never won any titles. Therefore, I leave with a clear conscience. I gave my best. Tomorrow will be a new day, and life goes on,” he concluded.
Ronaldo played a pivotal role in Portugal's triumph in the 2016 European Championship and secured two UEFA Nations League titles, but the World Cup title remained out of reach. His deepest run in the tournament was the semi-finals in 2006, during his first appearance.