‘It is not important now’: Cristiano Ronaldo plays down international retirement claim

DUBAI: Following Portugal’s dramatic 2-1 win over Croatia in the 2026 World Cup Round of 32 match, Cristiano Ronaldo has downplayed a statement by his sister that he would be retiring from international football at the end of the tournament.

“Enjoy it while it lasts. It’s ending soon. The info I have, from a reliable source … this is his last dance. I believe it’s not today that they’ll say goodbye, but it’s coming soon. I strongly believe this is the farewell,” Katya Aveiro told Sport TV channel.

“So enjoy it a lot because it will be difficult to find someone after 200 goals. I’m talking about the Portuguese national team,” she added.

However, Ronaldo, having scored a penalty in Portugal’s win, responded by saying that he has not taken a decision yet.

“It is not important now,” Ronaldo told reporters after the match. “I will have time to talk about that after winning or losing the tournament.”

“I no longer make decisions in the heat of the moment, now everything is done calmly,” he added.