"According to the information I have, you can say goodbye." That's Katia Aveiro — Cristiano Ronaldo's sister — speaking about his future with the Portugal national team, and she wasn't being cryptic about it.
The 2026 World Cup is it. No Euro 2028. No farewell tour. Just one final tournament, and then Ronaldo's international career — which stretches back over two decades — is done.
Straight from the source
Katia was asked directly whether Ronaldo would continue through to Euro 2028. Her answer left little room for interpretation: "I think this is the farewell. I mean the national team. I'm saying it from a reliable source. It's the 'Last Dance', at the World Cup."
Hard to get more definitive than that.
Portugal's World Cup qualifying odds, and any futures markets tied to their 2026 campaign, now carry a different weight. This isn't just a team building toward a tournament — it's one with a countdown clock on its greatest-ever player. That can sharpen a squad's focus or pile on pressure, depending entirely on how the group handles it.
More than 20 years, from Madeira to the main stage
Katia also pushed back hard on the criticism Ronaldo has faced: "He's been dominating for more than 20 years. Do you think the criticism will affect our happiness? Never!"
She has a point, even if the delivery is what you'd expect from a fiercely loyal sibling. Whatever anyone's current take on his form, a player who has featured for Portugal across five World Cups and five European Championships — and remains active at this level — is not a story that ends quietly.
She also noted that Ronaldo himself is calm about it all: "He's less nervous than we are."
Which, given the tone of his sister's comments, is saying something.
