World Cup 2026: Cristiano Ronaldo May Retire From Team Portugal After

Cristiano Ronaldo may not be suiting up for Portugal after the 2026 World Cup.

Ahead of the nation’s 2-1 win over Croatia in their round of 32 match in Toronto July 2, the soccer star’s sister Kátia Aveiro said his time with the national team would soon be over.

“I truly believe this is the farewell, so make the most of it because it’ll be hard to find someone like him again,” she told Portugal sports outlet Sport TV, translated from Portuguese. “The information I have is very reliable. I believe this is the last dance, so let’s enjoy it.”

While Aveiro emphasized she was only referring to Ronaldo’s time with the Portugal national team and not his participation on the Saudi Pro League team Al-Nassr, she reflected on her brother’s impact on the sport.

“Anyone who is truly intelligent, who understands football and genuinely loves football, has to admire Cristiano Ronaldo,” she continued. “If you don’t like Cristiano Ronaldo, then you don’t like football.”

And the legacy that he is leaving behind is one that Ronaldo—who is dad to kids Cristiano Jr., 16, Alana, 8, and Bella, 4, as well as twins Mateo and Eva Maria, 9, with fiancée Georgina Rodríguez—has built alongside his family.