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Lionel Messi Details "Difficult, Complicated Days" Ahead of World Cup 2026
Cristiano Ronaldo may not be suiting up for Portugal after the 2026 World Cup.
Ahead of the nation’s 2-1 win over Croatia in their round of 32 match in Toronto July 2, the soccer star’s sister Kátia Aveiro said his time with the national team would soon be over.
“I truly believe this is the farewell, so make the most of it because it’ll be hard to find someone like him again,” she told Portugal sports outlet Sport TV, translated from Portuguese. “The information I have is very reliable. I believe this is the last dance, so let’s enjoy it.”
While Aveiro emphasized she was only referring to Ronaldo’s time with the Portugal national team and not his participation on the Saudi Pro League team Al-Nassr, she reflected on her brother’s impact on the sport.
“Anyone who is truly intelligent, who understands football and genuinely loves football, has to admire Cristiano Ronaldo,” she continued. “If you don’t like Cristiano Ronaldo, then you don’t like football.”
And the legacy that he is leaving behind is one that Ronaldo—who is dad to kids Cristiano Jr., 16, Alana, 8, and Bella, 4, as well as twins Mateo and Eva Maria, 9, with fiancée Georgina Rodríguez—has built alongside his family.
“Ronaldo has been working incredibly hard for more than 20 years,” she added. “We’ve lived through so much. We’ve achieved so much.”
Indeed, the 41-year-old first took the pitch for Portugal as an 18-year-old in 2003 and now holds the record for most international appearances for the country. And with 145 goals—including one in the July 2 World Cup match—he is also the current record-holder for most international goals in men’s soccer.
One title Ronaldo has yet to achieve, though, is World Cup champion, which he reflected on after Portugal was knocked out of the tournament in 2022.
John Jacques/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
"I fought hard for that dream,” he wrote on Instagram at the time, per Fox Sports. “In the 5 World Cup appearances I made over 16 years, always alongside great players and supported by millions of Portuguese people, I gave my all.”
He concluded, “I left everything on the field. I never shied away from the fight and never gave up on that dream.”
And now, as Portugal advances to take on Spain July 6 in the round of 16, that dream is still alive.
To learn more about the international superstars participating in the 2026 World Cup, keep reading…
Eric Alonso/Getty Images
Lamine Yamal
Age: 18
World Cup Team: Spain
Current Soccer Club: FC Barcelona (Spain)
Position: Midfielder
Don't let Yamal's age fool you. In just two years since his debut, the Spaniard already has a UEFA European Football Championship under his belt. He was also the runner-up for the Ballon d'Or—also known as the "Golden Ball," an award recognizing the best soccer player of the year—in 2025.
CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images
Lionel Messi
Age: 38
World Cup Team: Argentina
Current Soccer Club: Inter Miami CF (United States)
Position: Forward
History has its eyes on Messi, who is the most decorated player in the world of soccer. Not only is he the defending World Cup champion, but the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is on the cusp of becoming the first player to win back-to-back World Cups as the captain of his national team.
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Cristiano Ronaldo
Age: 41
World Cup Team: Portugal
Current Soccer Club: Al-Nassr (Saudi Arabia)
Position: Forward
There's a reason why Ronaldo is considered one of the greatest players of all time. After all, he's scored over 970 goals in his career so far and shows no signs of stopping. He scored at least 100 goals while playing with each of his former clubs—Real Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus—as well as over 130 goals with his national team.
Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images
Harry Kane
Age: 32
World Cup Team: England
Current Soccer Club: Bayern Munich (Germany)
Position: Forward
Known as one of the best strikers of his generation, Kane is serving as the captain of England's national team for the third consecutive World Cup. In fact, the London native scored the winning goal at the team's warm-up match against New Zealand on June 6.
Stefan Matzke - sampics/Getty Images
Jamal Musiala
Age: 23
World Cup Team: Germany
Current Soccer Club: Bayern Munich (Germany)
Position: Midfielder
Ever since kicking off his professional soccer career at age 16, Musiala has been nicknamed "Bambi" for his graceful movements on the pitch. He made his World Cup debut at the 2022 tournament.
Heuler Andrey/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Neymar
Age: 34
World Cup Team: Brazil
Current Soccer Club: Santos FC (Brazil)
Position: Forward
Born Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, the mononymous sensation is his home country's all-time leading scorer after surpassing Pelé's 52-year record in 2023. He's looking to lead his team back to World Cup glory for the first time since 2002.
Claudio Villa/AC Milan via Getty Images
Luka Modric
Age: 40
World Cup Team: Croatia
Current Soccer Club: AC Milan (Italy)
Position: Midfielder
Considered Croatia's greatest soccer player, Modric captained the nation's team to a third-place victory at the 2018 World Cup. He also holds the record for most caps for Croatia, playing for the country more than 190 times on the international stage.
Angel Martinez/Getty Images
Kylian Mbappe
Age: 27
World Cup Team: France
Current Soccer Club: Real Madrid (Spain)
Position: Forward
Mbappe took home the World Cup when he made his debut in 2018. And after coming close in 2022, with Argentina defeating France in a penalty shoot-out, the Frenchman is undoubtedly entering this year's competition with fire in his belly.
Maria Gracia Jimenez/Soccrates/Getty Images
Vinicius Junior
Age: 25
World Cup Team: Brazil
Current Soccer Club: Real Madrid (Spain)
Position: Forward
Born Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior, the Brazilian soccer superstar was crowned The Best FIFA Men’s Player and runner-up to the Ballon d'Or in 2024. In his second World Cup appearance, Vini Jr. is hoping to end Brazil's 24-year wait for the trophy.
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