Cristiano Ronaldo: I will stop when I want to stop.

The Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup will feature another key match, with Portugal challenging Spain, considered a favorite. Cristiano Ronaldo stated that his retirement decision will be entirely his own, emphasizing that it will not be influenced by external criticism.

Portugal defeated Croatia 2-1 in the Round of 32, thanks to goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Ramos, securing their place in the Round of 16.

Cristiano Ronaldo, the 41-year-old captain of Portugal, said, "I will always train to the highest standards, and we will do our best to achieve all our goals. Whether I play or not, my role in the team is important. I will stop when I want to stop, not when others want me to retire. I am always asked the same question, but I would rather focus on other topics, such as playing well."

“Even if we win the World Cup, it won’t make me any more like myself. We should focus on tomorrow’s game and on each day. Football is ultimately a game, and tomorrow we will face a top team. All we have to do is enjoy it.”

Ronaldo also emphasized, "I will not let those comments affect us. The fans who truly support us are always very loyal. Everything else is meaningless nonsense and not worth paying attention to."

In addition, Spain, coached by De la Fuente, defeated Austria 3-0 in the round of 32, thanks to goals from Oyarzabal and Pedro Polo, and successfully advanced to the round of 16.

Cristiano Ronaldo stated, "No matter what competition we participate in, Spain is always the favorite to win. We know they are the more favored side, but I have a feeling we will win."

“I don’t want to focus on just one player. Spain has many excellent players, and this will be an extremely difficult game. We need unwavering belief, we need to keep running and show courage.”

When discussing the highly anticipated young Spanish star Yamar, Ronaldo said, "Yama is a player with a bright future, but I'm more focused on Spain as a whole. They are very good, and this match will be extremely difficult."

Image source: Internet