Cristiano Ronaldo has extended his record-setting career with Portugal to the point where he’s witnessing a new wave of Spanish talent rise in international football.
"When I feel I’m no longer contributing, I’ll be the first to step away," the 39-year-old Ronaldo said late Monday as the national team prepares to resume play in Europe this week. "My motivation is to join the national team and win the Nations League."
Portugal and Spain both play on Thursday to start a new UEFA Nations League, less than two months after the European Championship final in Germany.
Although Ronaldo has captained Portugal to victory in past editions of both competitions – the 2019 Nations League and Euro 2016 – Spain now holds both trophies, driven by an exciting new generation of talent.
Lamine Yamal, Barcelona's 17-year-old sensation from Euro 2024, and 20-year-old Gavi were not born when Ronaldo played in his first major tournament final, the Euro 2004 loss to Greece.
Some of Ronaldo’s peak years clashed with the great Spain team that won three consecutive titles at Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup, and Euro 2012. In the last two of those tournaments, Spain eliminated Portugal in the knockout rounds.
Now Spain is back on top ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which could see a 41-year-old Ronaldo – and Lionel Messi, who would turn 39 during the tournament in North America – compete in a record sixth edition.
When asked about his World Cup plans on Monday, Ronaldo said in translated comments, "I can’t give you an answer because I don’t know what will happen."
Ronaldo was dropped from the Portugal team at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and failed to score in five games at Euro 2024.
He is now preparing to face Croatia on Thursday and add to his men’s national team records of 212 games and 130 goals.
"I’ll go with a clear conscience as always because I know what I am," he said. "I know what I do and what I will continue to do."
The Nations League opens with the next World Cup very much in mind.
European qualifying groups for the 2026 World Cup are set to be drawn in Zurich in December, likely with seedings determined by FIFA world rankings updated in November after Nations League group play ends.
World Cup qualifying in Europe typically starts in March, but the top-tier teams that advance to the Nations League Final Four next June are not free until September.
Teams in the Final Four lineup must enter four-team World Cup qualifying groups, playing just six games from September to November 2025. Five-team qualifying groups must start in March or June.
UEFA members have a slightly different path to the 2026 World Cup because they get 16 places in the expanded 48-team finals tournament hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The 12 group winners qualify directly for the World Cup. The 12 runners-up enter a 16-team playoff in March 2026, with four additional playoff entries based on Nations League standings.
The 16 playoff teams are drawn into four playoff brackets. Single-game semifinals and finals will decide the four World Cup entries.
By providing teams with a qualifying route from the Nations League into the World Cups and European Championships, UEFA aims to boost its third-tier national-team event.
Spain was the men’s football champion at Euro 2024, the Paris Olympics, and the 2023 Nations League.
The Nations League defense starts with two away games: Thursday against Serbia in Belgrade and Sunday against Switzerland in Geneva. Also in the group is Denmark.
The main attraction since Euro 2024 is watching good friends Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams attack teams from each wing.
Not only have 39-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modrić – who turns 39 on Monday – and 36-year-old Robert Lewandowski not yet retired from international football, but they will also meet in the same Nations League group.
It should be Ronaldo vs. Modrić on Thursday in Lisbon and Modrić vs. Lewandowski on Sunday in Osijek, Croatia.
Scotland faces the veteran trio – combining for 542 national team games and 239 goals heading into this week – six times in Group A1 through mid-November.
France, captained by Kylian Mbappé, has two standout games: hosting Italy on Friday in Paris and welcoming Belgium on Monday in Lyon.
Israel completes the group and plays its first two games in neutral Hungary due to the ongoing conflict with Hamas. Israel’s home game against Italy on Monday is in Budapest, and its away game against Belgium on Friday is in Debrecen.
The Belgian football federation said in July that "no local authority in Belgium considers it possible" to stage a game against Israel for security reasons.
Another high-profile game sees Euro 2024 semifinalist Netherlands hosting Germany next Tuesday.
The multi-tiered Nations League format, which launched in 2018 to provide teams more competitive games against opponents of similar levels, always was complex.
Top-tier teams in League A compete to advance to the Final Four the following year and to avoid relegation to League B. England, Austria, and Turkey are in the second tier.
Mid- and low-ranked nations can win promotions and seek playoff paths to reach a World Cup or European Championship, as Georgia did in the Euro 2024 surprise.
A new feature for this edition is a quarterfinal round next March for eight top-tier nations and promotion-relegation playoffs for 20 additional teams.