Ronaldo was ready to walk away from Portugal after World Cup, but one burning belief changed his mind ahead of Nations League

Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted that he seriously considered ending his Portugal career after this summer’s World Cup, but the decision ultimately came down to whether he still believed he could contribute. Now 41 and approaching his 234th international appearance, Ronaldo has chosen to continue, with a new coach, a young generation around him and another Nations League campaign ahead. His explanation before Thursday’s meeting with Wales was less about records than knowing when he still has something to give.Ronaldo considered walking away after the World CupRonaldo acknowledged that retirement from international football was a genuine possibility after Portugal's World Cup campaign ended in the round of 16 against eventual champions Spain.Age had appeared to become a factor during the tournament, particularly as several of the game's established stars continued to make an impact on the biggest stage, and questions followed about whether Ronaldo's international career had reached its natural conclusion.Asked directly whether he had considered leaving Portugal after the World Cup, Ronaldo gave a straightforward answer.“Yes I did. Of course, I’m always thinking on my decisions, my future, the present also,” he said.“I’m a thinker. You have to think. This is why you see me here now. It means I will continue.”Ronaldo said he discussed the decision with both the president of the Portuguese Football Federation and the national team's coach before deciding that he still had a role to play.“I had a conversation with our president, with our coach. I still believe that I’m able to help the national team to reach what they want, and will finish when I feel like I’m not doing anything here,” he said.That final point appears to be Ronaldo's own measure for deciding when his international career should end, rather than his age or the number of goals still available to him.“I think I can give to the national team my support, not only through the goals, but also outside of football,” he added.“This is a new young generation. But for me the basic point is to be able on the pitch to score the goals and to help the team win games.”Ronaldo says he still has something to offer PortugalRonaldo's decision means he will continue as Portugal captain and will make his 234th international appearance against Wales in Lisbon on Thursday.The match will take place at the José Alvalade Stadium, the home of Sporting, the club where Ronaldo began his senior career, leading some commentators to suggest that it could become an appropriate setting for an international farewell.Ronaldo, however, has given no indication that he regards the Wales match in those terms.His explanation instead centred on his belief that he can still contribute to Portugal, both through what he does on the pitch and through his presence around a younger squad.The five-time Ballon d'Or winner also addressed the criticism he continues to receive in Portugal, particularly from sections of the country's media.“I said it quite often at home with my friends. I’ve been playing football for so many years, I have been welcome almost everywhere, apart from a few exceptions,” Ronaldo said.“I feel the Portuguese fans like me, but I do understand that some TV channels want to criticise me – they’ve tried to kill me, but only with a shotgun.”“They are dying for me not to come to the national team anymore, but I can still move away from it.”“Anyway, I am used to it. For over 20 years I have been doing this, but my memories are with people who love me.”The reaction around Ronaldo's continued involvement has not been universally positive. Leading Portuguese newspaper A Bola ran a poll before the Wales fixture asking readers to select their preferred Portugal starting XI, and Ronaldo did not make the team chosen by respondents.Jorge Jesus, however, has already confirmed that Ronaldo will start.“He’s playing tomorrow and I hope he scores one or two goals right away, then I’ll take him off,” Jesus said.The 1,000-goal milestone is close, but Ronaldo says it is not an obsessionRonaldo is now playing for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia and has reached 979 career goals, leaving him 21 short of the 1,000-goal landmark.His tally includes 833 goals for clubs and 146 for Portugal, but Ronaldo rejected the suggestion that reaching four figures has become an obsession.He did admit that reaching the milestone in Portugal colours would carry particular significance.“That would be the cherry on the cake,” Ronaldo said.“Scoring a thousandth goal with the national team would crown a beautiful story.”Ronaldo also spoke about why he continues to matter to younger supporters, saying his motivation extends beyond the statistics attached to his career.“I know why young kids love Cristiano, because they see me as an example, and I will continue to do that. Even when I am retired… in 10 years.”He also stressed that he is comfortable with whatever role he has from one match to the next, rather than treating every appearance as proof that he must continue playing at the same level.“I’m happy with myself. It doesn’t matter if I play tomorrow, if I rest the next game, for me the most important thing is that I feel good.Jorge Jesus begins a new era with Ronaldo still at the centrePortugal's decision to continue with Ronaldo also coincides with the beginning of a new coaching era under Jorge Jesus, who replaced Roberto Martinez as Portugal manager following the World Cup.Jesus previously coached Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, where he led the club to the Saudi Pro League title in the 2025–26 season. Ronaldo described the appointment as “the beginning of a new era” while calling the 72-year-old Portuguese manager “the perfect choice” to lead Portugal.Jesus' first competitive fixtures come in the Nations League, a competition Portugal have already won twice, lifting the trophy in 2019 and 2025.Portugal will open the new campaign by hosting Wales in Lisbon on Thursday, before travelling to Oslo to face Norway. They will then remain in Scandinavia to play Denmark on October 1, before returning home to face Norway again on October 4.For Ronaldo, the immediate focus is therefore another Nations League campaign rather than an international farewell.At 41, with 979 career goals and another generation of Portuguese players emerging around him, he has decided that the point at which he should leave is not determined by a particular birthday, tournament or statistic. It will come when he believes he is no longer able to give Portugal what he believes it needs.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.