Cristiano RonaldoThe extraordinary international career of the current could enter its last chapter, with his sister Katia Aveiro revealing that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the “last dance” of the legend of Portugal in national colors.The emotional revelation came as Ronaldo continued to rewrite football history, inspiring Portugal to a dramatic 2-1 win over Croatia in the Round of 32 while becoming the oldest player to ever score in a match. FIFA World Cup knockout match and the oldest player on the pitch to start a men’s World Cup knockout match.Speaking outside the Toronto Stadium ahead of Portugal’s KO clash, Aveiro suggested the curtain was about to come down on one of the greatest international careers the game has ever seen.“From the information I have, they can say goodbye,” he told Sport TV. “Not today, but I believe that this is the farewell. I am talking about the national team. From a reliable source, it is the “last dance”, the World Cup.”
Ronaldo bows out in style with more World Cup history
If this is indeed Ronaldo’s farewell tournament with Portugal, it is sure to be remembered for all the right reasons.Against Croatia, the 41-year-old converted a second-half penalty that secured Portugal a place in the Round of 16. In doing so, Ronaldo became the oldest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup knockout stage history at 41 years and 147 days.surpassing Lionel Messi’s previous mark.His strike was also his first goal in a World Cup knockout match, despite featuring in six editions of the tournament.The Portugal captain also moved up to second on the all-time list of oldest World Cup goalscorers, with only Cameroon great Roger Milla, who scored at 42 years and 39 days in 1994, standing ahead of him.Before kick-off, Ronaldo had already created history by becoming the oldest outfield player to ever start a men’s FIFA World Cup knockout match. The milestone came just a day after Bosnia-Herzegovina captain Edin Dzeko briefly held the record, while Croatia’s Luka Modric also started, making it the first World Cup match with two outfield players over the age of 40 on opposite sides.Ronaldo’s appearance was also his 26th at the World Cup, leaving him just one behind German legend Lothar Matthäus and three behind all-time leader Lionel Messi.
“I feel like I’m already retired”
Ronaldo’s latest heroics against Croatia completed a remarkable turnaround after he was widely criticized following Portugal’s 1-1 opener with DR Congo, where he failed to register a shot on target.The veteran striker responded with a brace against Uzbekistan before carrying that momentum into the knockout stages with another match-winning display against Croatia.Reflecting on his return to form after the Uzbekistan game, Ronaldo had said: “I knew it. God helps those who work hard. It was a difficult and dark week. I felt that I had already retired from football, but I kept it as always because I believe more in hard work than in football. It was difficult, I must confess, but we are back.”He had added: “Very happy, but for me the most important thing is the work that the team did and the confidence that we had. We took a lot of hits during the week, we knew it would happen. The team worked very well and we improved a lot.”
Sister defends Portugal icon amid criticism
Ronaldo’s performances sparked intense debate during the tournament, with reports even suggesting disorder in the Portugal camp after the opening draw.Aveiro had previously appeared to back criticism from some of Ronaldo’s teammates, such as a social media post aimed at Bruno Fernandes, fueling speculation about tensions within the squad.However, he strongly defended his brother after his return to form.“For intelligent people, those who like football must like Ronaldo,” he said. “They’re the ones who lose. He’s been ripping it off for 20 years.”With 232 international appearances and 146 goals for Portugal, Ronaldo is already alone as the leading goalscorer in men’s international football of all time.
