The captain of the Portuguese national team has revealed his future with the national team. In a press conference, Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed that he will retire from international football. He didn't mince words.

Facing journalists gathered at a press conference, Cristiano Ronaldo uttered the words that millions of supporters and fans had dreaded for years: "This is my last World Cup." Three words. A turning point.

At 41, the Portuguese player is therefore playing his final match in the competition that has most eluded him throughout an extraordinary career. Five Ballon d'Or awards, five Champions League titles, countless records across all continents, and yet, this trophy, the most coveted in world football, has never been within his grasp.

"I will always be Cristiano"

But what's striking about his statement isn't so much the announcement itself, but the serenity with which he delivered his message. No tears, no pathos: "I thank God for my life. If I win, I will always be Cristiano. If I don't win, I will still be Cristiano."

One sentence sums up, better than any statistic, what CR7 represents: a man who has built his identity far beyond titles. The fate of the competition will not change who he is. And perhaps that is his greatest victory.

A final rendezvous with history

Portugal enters this World Cup with undiminished ambitions. Around Ronaldo, a talented generation – Vitinha, Pedro Neto, Rafael Leão – carries the hope of delivering the captain the only trophy missing from his legend.

For CR7, every match could now be his last. The last dribble, the last free kick, the last resounding "Siuuu" in a roaring stadium. Thousands of Portuguese supporters, and far beyond, his thousands of fans, know they are witnessing the end of an era.