'I no longer make decisions in the heat of the moment': Cristiano Ronaldo dismisses sister's retirement claims
Cristiano Ronaldo has dismissed his sister Katia Aveiro 's remarks about his farewell from the international stage after the FIFA World Cup 2026 , revealing that he will make that decision only after Portugal's campaign ends.
Ahead of Portugal's Round of 32 clash against Croatia, Katia had told Portuguese broadcaster Sport TV: "Enjoy it while it lasts. It's ending soon."
Ronaldo converted a penalty in the 68th minute to level the scores against Croatia before Goncalo Ramos found the net in stoppage time to seal Portugal's win in Toronto, helping the side progress to the Round of 16.
After being named the Superior Player of the Match, Ronaldo said his future is not on his mind yet.
"It is not important now," Ronaldo is said to have told reporters. "I will have time to talk about that after winning or losing the tournament; I will talk to my family, and then I will make the most appropriate decision."
"I no longer make decisions in the heat of the moment; now everything is done calmly. All that matters to me at the moment is enjoying the present and helping the national team," the 41-year-old said after scoring his first World Cup knockout goal from the penalty spot.
Earlier, Katia had hinted that this could be the final international tournament of the Portuguese superstar.
"The info I have, from a reliable source… this is his last dance," Katia revealed while speaking on Sport TV.
"I believe it's not today that they'll say goodbye, but it's coming soon. I strongly believe this is the farewell.
"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 said.
Ronaldo's goal took his tally for Portugal to 146 goals in 232 appearances. The penalty also marked his first goal in a World Cup knockout match and his third of the ongoing World Cup, having scored a brace against Uzbekistan in the group stage.
An emotional Ronaldo also paid tribute to his former Portugal teammate Diogo Jota, who passed away on this day last year.
"The coincidence of life, it's unbelievable," Ronaldo told Fox Sports. "We knew it before the game. It was a so special moment. We speak today, our group, about that, the coincidence of life. It's unbelievable."
-
EPFO Portal Update: Login to EPFO member portal resumed after maintenance, but this special service is still down..
-
Bank Holiday: Why are banks closed here on Monday, July 6, following Sunday, July 5? Find out the reason for the bank holiday..
-
8th Pay Commission: These 5 major conditions will be placed before the 8th Pay Commission; update for employees..
-
ITR 2026: Want the maximum refund on your income tax return? Follow these 5 excellent tips when filing your ITR..
-
Is it better to contribute more than ₹1,800 to EPF, or are VPF, PPF, NPS, and Mutual Fund SIPs better options? Find out here..
