Ronaldo’s last World Cup? We will see, says Portugal star before Spain clash

Doha – Cristiano Ronaldo has once again sidestepped questions about whether the current World Cup will be his final appearance for Portugal. Ahead of their last-16 clash against Spain, the 41-year-old star emphasized that he will conclude his career on his own terms.

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I will finish when I choose. You always ask the same question: ‘Is this the last one?’ We will see. I don’t want to draw attention to this; the most important thing is to play well tomorrow.

"I will finish when I choose. You always ask the same question: 'Is this the last one?' We will see. I don’t want to draw attention to this; the most important thing is to play well tomorrow," Ronaldo told reporters. He added that regardless of the outcome against Spain, he will leave with a clear conscience, having given his all to football out of passion.

Ronaldo, who is playing in a record sixth World Cup, stated he is not putting pressure on himself to win and aims to enjoy every match. He noted that he has scored three goals in the tournament so far, which he considers a decent performance. He also mentioned that he has enjoyed the current tournament more than his previous five.

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I’m going to be perfectly honest, regardless of what happens tomorrow, Cristiano is going to be 1,000 percent leaving with a clear conscience.

Confident in his team's prospects, Ronaldo believes Roberto Martinez's side can overcome Spain, who have shown improvement throughout the finals. "If we didn’t have this belief, we wouldn’t be here," he said. "We know this is a tough competition, and it’s impossible to always do well. Some good teams have been eliminated, and that says everything. The team is well, calm and well prepared. We’re going to face a difficult team, but I think we will be prepared."

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I have given all I could to football. It’s my passion to play for so many years. I didn’t do it out of need; I’m doing well out of life. It’s about passion. I play for the national team, and I love to play football.

If he plays against Spain, Ronaldo will make his 233rd appearance for Portugal. His scoring record against Spain is limited, with only four goals in previous encounters, including a hat-trick in a 3-3 draw during the 2018 World Cup group stage. He acknowledged Spain as a favorite due to their past successes but stressed that this competition involves different players and circumstances.

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Regardless of what happens tomorrow, I’m not going to exert pressure on myself that I must win.