Cristiano Ronaldo weighed up his career in Portugal after the World Cup and admitted on Wednesday that some critics at home want him out of the squad.
The 41-year-old Ronaldo was confirmed by coach Jorge Jesus as a starter for Portugal’s 234th game – against Wales in the Nations League on Thursday.
Asked in a pre-match press conference if he considered stopping his international career in July after Portugal’s round of 16 defeat to Spain, Ronaldo said: “Yes, I did. Of course, I always think about my decisions, about my future, also about the present.”
“I had a conversation with our president, with our coach,” he said of Jesus, whose previous job was leading Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr to the Saudi league title in May. “I still believe I can help the national team achieve what they want and I will finish when I feel like I’m not doing anything here.”
Ronaldo, who captained Portugal to their previous Nations League title in 2025, is closing in on 1,000 career goals.
“A thousand goals, yes, and the national team. Winning the Nations League, the competition starts tomorrow,” Ronaldo said. “This is a new young generation,” he said. “But for me the main point is to be on the pitch to score goals and help the team win games.”
The superstar is not yet universally admired in his home country.
“I feel that the Portuguese fans like me, but I understand that some TV channels want to criticize me,” he said. “I am dying not to come to the national team, but I can still leave it.
“Anyway, I’m used to it. For more than 20 years I’ve been doing this, but my memories are with the people who love me. I know why little kids love Cristiano, because they see me as an example and I’ll continue to do that. Even when I’m retired… in 10 years,” Ronaldo said with a smile.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
