Cristiano Ronaldo’s international career with Portugal has been thrown into doubt mid-World Cup.
Ronaldo, who is now 41 and the oldest player to ever feature and score in the knockout stages, is nearing the end of his career.
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But as he keeps scoring goals on his way to 1000, there is no guarantee that his full retirement is coming too soon.
The Portugal icon has already confirmed this will be his last ever World Cup, however, will the conclusion of the tournament spell the end of his international career as a whole?
Well, his sister appears to have given us an answer…
When is Ronaldo retiring from Portugal?
According to Ronaldo’s sister, Katia Aveiro, he will be retiring from international football after the World Cup.
Aveiro revealed the news moments before A Selecao beat Croatia in the round of 32 in Toronto, Canada.
Portugal won the match 2-1, with Ronaldo scoring one of the goals. It means they will face Spain in the round of 16 on Monday, with the legend sure to have at least some level of involvement.
His sister told Sport TV on Thursday: “Enjoy it while it lasts. It’s ending soon. The info I have, from a reliable source… this is his last dance.
“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.”
Ronaldo himself is yet to confirm his international future.
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Ronaldo’s Portugal stats
Should Ronaldo retire following the World Cup, he will end a Portugal career that has lasted 23 years.
He has made the most appearances of any player for any country on the international stage, with 232 caps to date.
In those caps, he’s also netted an incredible 146 times, scoring his first World Cup knockout goal against Croatia on Thursday with a penalty.
Ronaldo is Portugal’s all-time top scorer, clear by over 100 goals.
For Portugal, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar has also won three national titles.
He’s lifted the European Championship and two Nations League trophies across his long, successful career.
