Cristiano Ronaldo prefers rest over FIFA Club World Cup

Portuguese prima says he’d alternatively hole himself for a ‘very long’ season, which ends with the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Cristiano Ronaldo says helium preferred to instrumentality a remainder alternatively than play successful the revamped FIFA Club World Cup arsenic helium aims to prolong his playing vocation for nine and country.

The Portuguese international, who precocious led his state to the UEFA Nations League title, made the comments connected Saturday, 2 days aft extending his enactment astatine Saudi Pro League broadside Al Nassr.

Al Nassr announced connected Thursday that Ronaldo had signed a two-year declaration which would support him astatine the nine past his 42nd day and perchance his past quality successful the FIFA World Cup astatine its adjacent iteration successful the United States, Canada and Mexico successful 2026.

Speculation implicit the 40-year-old’s plans intensified past period erstwhile FIFA President Gianni Infantino said discussions were nether mode astir Ronaldo playing successful the Club World Cup, contempt Al Nassr failing to qualify, but the prima guardant swiftly brushed them aside.

“I had immoderate offers to play successful the [Club] World Cup but I deliberation it didn’t marque consciousness due to the fact that I similar to person a bully rest, a bully preparation, due to the fact that this play volition beryllium precise agelong arsenic it is the World Cup play astatine the extremity of the year,” Ronaldo said successful a video posted by Al Nassr connected X.

“I privation to beryllium acceptable not lone for Al Nassr but besides for the nationalist team. So, this is wherefore I decided to play the past crippled for the Nations League and not perceive to anything,” helium added.

“And of course, to beryllium successful this club, which I love”.

Cristiano Ronaldo is staying astatine @AlNassrFC until 2027 💛🤩 pic.twitter.com/uVOzvZW4u7

— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) June 26, 2025

Ronaldo scored for Portugal successful the Nations League last against Spain earlier this month, which ended 2-2 earlier his broadside went connected to bushed the European champions connected penalties.

The Portugal skipper said his purpose successful staying astatine Al Nassr was to triumph a large trophy with the Riyadh-based side.

“My goal, it’s ever to triumph thing important for Al-Nassr. And of people I inactive judge successful that,” Ronaldo added. “This is wherefore I renewed the 2 years much due to the fact that I judge that I volition beryllium a champion successful Saudi Arabia.”

Ronaldo, who joined Al Nassr successful 2022 aft leaving Manchester United arsenic a escaped agent, has scored 93 goals successful 105 appearances for them successful each competitions.

Ronaldo is besides eyeing the 1,000-goal milestone successful his career. He has scored 794 goals successful nine shot and 138 for Portugal, taking his tally to 932.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies