Ronaldo, who is preparing to appear in his sixth World Cup next summer in North America, has repeatedly stated that the 2026 tournament will be his final involvement on the global stage. But his former international teammate believes the prospect of a home farewell is too meaningful to dismiss entirely.

The Al-Nassr forward continues to defy expectations deep into his 40s, maintaining elite fitness levels through the same relentless training and discipline that defined his prime years. Remarkably, his goalscoring output since turning 30 surpasses his tally from his 20s, helping him remain an irreplaceable figure in Roberto Martínez’s squad.

Even so, Ronaldo has insisted he is approaching each season on a “year-by-year” basis, aware that physical limitations inevitably arrive. His best World Cup performance to date remains the semi-final run in 2006, and he sees the 2026 competition as his last realistic chance at claiming the trophy that has eluded him.

Yet Gomes believes the expanded 2030 World Cup jointly hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco changes the dynamic.

“It’s impossible to predict because only he truly knows how far he can go,” Gomes told TalkSport. “But he’s still exceptionally fit and a model professional. For younger generations, he remains the perfect example. Yes, he’s no longer the Cristiano of 18 or 20 in terms of speed, but he continues scoring goals, and there’s nothing more important in football.”

Gomes, who featured alongside Ronaldo in 34 Portugal matches, added that the decision may ultimately come down to Martínez.

“It will depend on the coach’s plan. Whether Cristiano plays every match or not, Martínez has shown he can adapt the team around him. Realistically, this could be his last World Cup but with Portugal hosting in four years’ time, it could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance for him to say goodbye at home.”

Ronaldo’s greatest moment for Portugal came in 2016 when he lifted the European Championship, though his last World Cup ended in a quarter-final upset against Morocco. This time, he has already received a major boost: a FIFA ruling will allow him to participate in the tournament despite a red-card suspension from the qualifier against Ireland, with two games of the ban temporarily frozen.

Portugal’s path will become clearer at Friday’s group-stage draw as preparations continue for what could be Ronaldo’s final act on the world stage or perhaps his penultimate one.