Ronaldo to retire if Portugal win World Cup

ANKARA

Cristiano Ronaldo announced Thursday that he will retire from professional football if Portugal win the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The Portuguese star said in a TV interview with British journalist and television presenter Piers Morgan that he will "100%" hang up his boots if his national team bags the tournament in Qatar.

The Portuguese captain said his team are not the favorites of the upcoming tournament and he thinks France is the toughest opponent.

He said his arch rival, Lionel Messi, is a "magic" player and added that Messi and France legend Zinedine Zidane are probably the best players in the world, excluding himself.

The 37-year-old also said he refused to become the most paid player in the world by turning down a €350 million ($362 million) offer from a Saudi club.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is in his second stint at Manchester United after playing for Real Madrid and Juventus for multiple seasons.

Ronaldo became the first player in history to reach 700 club goals last month when he scored against Everton in an English Premier League match.