Cristiano Ronaldo considered Portugal retirement before deciding to continue

Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that he considered retiring from international football after the 2026 World Cup before deciding to continue with Portugal. According to BBC Sport, the 41-year-old said discussions with the national team's president and coach helped shape his decision, with the forward still believing he could contribute to the team's ambitions on and off the pitch.

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Ronaldo had confirmed during the summer that the tournament would be his final World Cup, while leaving his longer-term plans uncertain. He has now been named in Jorge Jesus' 25-player squad for Portugal's Nations League campaign. The selection keeps him involved with the national side following the tournament he had already identified as his last appearance on football's global stage.

The Al-Nassr player also identified reaching 1,000 career goals as a continuing motivation. BBC Sport reported that he was 21 goals short of that total. Ronaldo said the personal target and Portugal's pursuit of another Nations League title both mattered to him. He has already won the competition twice with his country and wants to add a third success.

Helping younger players was another reason he gave for remaining available to Portugal. Fabio Silva, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves and Francisco Conceicao are among the players included for the current international window. Ronaldo said he believed his support could extend beyond scoring, while stressing that his central responsibility remained contributing goals and helping the team win matches.

His comments came before Portugal's Nations League opener against Wales in Lisbon on Thursday. Although he is part of the squad, Ronaldo did not frame his continued involvement as a demand to play every match. He said feeling good was his priority, whether he played in the opening fixture or rested in the following game.

The former Sporting, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus forward also joked about playing for another decade. That remark was presented as a joke, not a new retirement timetable. His stated reasons for carrying on were helping Portugal, supporting its younger generation and pursuing the scoring milestone.