Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday said next year’s World Cup would be his last as he winds down one of the all-time great careers.

The 40-year-old forward, with more than 950 club and international goals, also said he would retire from football in “one or two years”.

“Definitely, yes,” he told a Saudi forum by video link, when asked if 2026 would be his World Cup swansong. “I’m gonna be 41 years old and I think it will be the moment.”

Ronaldo, who began a lucrative stint at Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr in 2023, also elaborated on comments last week when he said he would retire “soon”.

“Let’s be honest, when I mean soon, it’s probably one or two years I’ll still be at the game,” he said.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is targeting a sixth World Cup next year. He came closest to lifting the trophy in 2006, when Portugal lost to France in the semi-finals.

Portugal have yet to qualify for the 2026 tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico, but can secure their spot if they beat Ireland on Thursday.

Ronaldo joined Al Nassr after leaving Manchester United for a second time in late 2022, a move that heralded a influx of late-career stars to the oil-rich kingdom.

Saudi Arabia, which is spending big on sports and entertainment as part of its economic diversification plan, was named as host of the 2034 World Cup last December.

Meanwhile, Argentina and Barcelona legend Lionel Messi said on Monday he had visited the renovated Camp Nou and hoped for a return one day to say his “goodbye”.

Messi, 38, left the Catalan club in 2021 for Paris Saint-Germain due to the outfit’s dire financial problems before moving to Inter Miami two years later.

“Last night I returned to a place I deeply miss. A place where I was immensely happy, where you made me feel a thousand times like the happiest person in the world,” the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner said on Instagram.

“I hope one day I can return, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I was never able to do…,” the 2022 World Cup champion added.

Messi scored twice on Saturday for Inter Miami to help them into the next round of the MLS Cup play-offs.