Cristiano Ronaldo’s sister, Katia Aveiro, has confirmed that the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026 will be his final tournament with the national team
She stated on SportTV that fans should “enjoy it while it lasts,” as his international career is nearing its end.
“We have to enjoy these moments. It’s the last dance for two players, both for Croatia and for Portugal. The most important thing is to enjoy these 20-odd years that we’ve lived, won, and come so far. I’m incredibly proud. I was in Qatar, I’m here. It’s a tremendous pride. I’m confident and we’ll smile at the end. Ronaldo is great and confident, less nervous than us. I felt a good energy and confidence. For us fans, it brings comfort. We can trust.” Aveiro said.
When asked about the possibility of seeing Ronaldo with Portugal at Euro 2028, Aveiro replied: “From the information I have, they can say goodbye. Enjoy it while it lasts. It’s not today that they’re saying goodbye, but it’s soon. I believe this is their farewell. Enjoy it a lot. It will be difficult to find someone like him.
"I’m talking about the national team. The information I have, from a reliable source, I believe this is his last dance. For intelligent people, those who like football have to like Ronaldo. Those who don’t like Ronaldo don’t like football. They’re the ones who lose out.
"He’s been tearing it up for over 20 years. Do they think we’re not happy? Look where we are, the Aveiro family, and where we came from. We’ve achieved so much, considering where we came from… after the struggle we went through, what my brother went through, the achievements my mother had… do they think the criticism will interfere with our happiness? Never."