Ronaldo's End

At the age of 40, Cristiano Ronaldo is still running tirelessly for his World Cup dream.

But the red card against Ireland and the signs of the times are raising the big question: is this the final mission of a legend?

The reality about Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo has spent his entire career in a battle against time. He has broken every limit that football has ever understood, extending his peak in a way that only the most obsessive of megalomaniacs can. But at 40, all signs point to Ronaldo entering his final campaign. And the 2026 World Cup may be the last big stage before the curtain falls on his career.

Ronaldo is still competitive. Still scoring goals. Still has a body that many 25-year-olds would envy. But he himself admits: the time to say goodbye is not far away. Ronaldo still jokes that he will retire in 10 years, but in recent weeks, he has talked about the future with a rare realism. Ronaldo knows that his body is reaching its final limits. And he knows: the summer in the US - Mexico - Canada is his last chance to win the only trophy that is missing.

Ronaldo is obsessed with the 1,000-goal mark in his career. He is steadily approaching that number. But the ultimate destination of his football career is not in statistics, but in the World Cup, a title that has eluded him for more than two decades. EURO 2016 brought glory, but the World Cup is the throne Ronaldo is always aiming for. And he knows that if he does not conquer it by 2026, the door will close forever.

Ronaldo is obsessed with the 1,000-goal mark in his career.

But that journey has just become more difficult after the red card against Ireland. An unnecessary elbow. An undeserved red card. And a suspension that could see him miss the opening game of the World Cup.

The image of Ronaldo leaving the field with his head down at the age of 40 is not only regrettable. It signals that even legends sometimes lose control. And time is not kind to anyone, including Ronaldo.

But the bigger picture is more important. Ronaldo is no longer shying away from accepting his age. A month ago, he said outright that the 2030 World Cup, even if it is partly held in Portugal, is a distant dream. At 41, Ronaldo doesn’t believe he is good enough to compete on the world’s biggest stage. It’s not just sanity. It’s an acceptance rarely seen in a player who has always considered himself invincible.

The Final Mission

The 2026 World Cup has thus become the final mission. Ronaldo's nearly 25-year journey is only missing one piece to become perfect. Ronaldo has won everything at club level. He has five Golden Balls, broken all scoring milestones. But Ronaldo always prioritizes the national team. And he himself admits that previous World Cups have never brought a feeling of completeness. Ronaldo has been close to glory, but never close enough to touch it.

Physically, Ronaldo insists he is fine. He continues to train with high intensity, can still score goals for the team, and has the same desire as the first day. “My body is still good. I score goals and help the team,” Ronaldo said.

However, that journey has just become more difficult after the red card against Ireland.

But the truth is that age isn’t just about muscle. It’s about moments of composure like against Ireland. It’s about a slowing of the process. It’s about a sense that Ronaldo is no longer the man who can turn a game around.

This does not mean that Ronaldo is no longer valuable. On the contrary, he can still be a decisive factor at certain times. But Ronaldo must accept that he is no longer the absolute center. Portugal enters 2026 with a young generation that is talented, strong and less dependent on him. That transition is normal. And Ronaldo must learn to stand beside them, not in front of them.

Ronaldo's ultimate mission is not just to win the World Cup. It is also to end a great career with peace. Without regrets. Without trying to hold on to the old glory. Without turning himself into an old symbol in a new team. Ronaldo always fights to become special. And to be special until the end, he must know when to stop.

The 2026 World Cup is approaching. Ronaldo still has a chance. But it will be his last. He knows that. We know that too. This is not just a football journey. This is the end of a legend. A moment when every shot, every step, every decision counts as the last.

The final mission awaits Ronaldo. And it will be the big story of world football next year.

Source: https://znews.vn/hoi-ket-cua-ronaldo-post1602901.html