Cristiano Ronaldo has declined to settle his future with the Portugal national team, insisting he will not make a hasty decision about international retirement following his country's elimination from the round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a defeat to Spain.
Ronaldo said his participation in the 2026 World Cup was his last in the tournament, but that he would give himself sufficient time to think about the next phase before making any decision regarding his international career.
"This was my last appearance at a World Cup, but I will have time to think about what remains, to be with my family, not to make hasty decisions, and to carry on with life," he said.
The Portugal captain, who is 41 years old, responded to a question about how he felt after the elimination, stating he would wake up the following day "with a clear conscience" because he had given everything he had for his country's team. He added: "I won three trophies with Portugal — before Cristiano they had no trophies — so I am happy."
Ronaldo described the match against Spain, which ended with Portugal losing by a single goal in the final minutes, as largely balanced, noting that the game could have ended in favour of either side.
He explained that the Spanish team had the fortune of scoring the winning goal in the closing moments, adding: "That is football, and I think it was generally a good match."
The Portugal captain said he felt sadness at leaving the tournament in this manner, but stressed that he had given his utmost throughout the competition. "I gave everything I had, and I leave with a clear conscience," he said.
Ronaldo concluded his remarks by affirming that football is full of victories and defeats. "That is a player's life — sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and you have to keep moving forward," he said.