“Cristiano’s future is not important” - Ronaldo speaks out ahead of Portugal-Spain clash
Portugal captain turned attention away from transfer speculation after victory, reflecting on Spain, Luka Modrić and an emotional tribute.
Cristiano Ronaldo suffered as much as anyone before celebrating Portugal’s place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 16, where he finally scored his first goal in a knockout match at the tournament. Portugal’s captain will now face Spain once again after eliminating Luka Modrić’s Croatia.
Ronaldo was named Player of the Match for the second time in the tournament, having also earned the award against Uzbekistan, and spoke after collecting the trophy.
What Ronaldo said after Portugal win over Croatia
On his future: “Cristiano’s future is not important right now. I’ll talk about it... I’ll have time. After we win or lose, I’ll speak with my family and then make the best decision. I don’t make decisions in the heat of the moment anymore. Everything is done calmly now. Right now it’s about enjoying the present.”
On Spain: “Calm! Now it’s time to rest well. We know it’s going to be a battle.”
On Luka Modrić: “He’s a football legend. I spent many years playing with him at Real Madrid. I wish him all the best and I hope he can keep playing.”
More on Modrić: “Yes, I said goodbye to him. He’s still a football legend. We’re almost the same age. I have tremendous respect for Modrić for what he’s still doing in football.”
Watching from the bench: “You suffer much more from the sidelines, but that’s football.”
On the match: “Today we had to know how to suffer. To win a competition of this magnitude, you have to know how to suffer. It was a very entertaining match for the fans. We controlled the game quite well in the first half, but the second half was much more chaotic. They scored, we got a little nervous, but the emotional turning point came when we converted the penalty. From then on, the game became easier. We still had some difficulties, but that’s what this competition is all about, and we have to keep moving forward.”
On Diogo Jota: “It’s a special day for our Jota, who is up there watching over us. We know he’s with us, and the right thing was to win today to honor him in the best possible way.”
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