Ronaldo anticipates a challenging match against Ireland, as the team is likely to employ a defensive strategy, limiting the space for him and his teammates to operate. When asked about the possibility of scoring his 1000th career goal in the World Cup final, Ronaldo playfully dismissed the idea, saying it would be "too perfect."

Instead, Ronaldo focused on the team's goal of qualifying for the World Cup. He emphasized the importance of collective effort, stating that a national team's success doesn't rely on a single player. Ronaldo has scored 953 goals in his career and is the leading men's international goalscorer with 143 goals.

The 40-year-old striker is currently playing for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. He has hinted that the 2026 World Cup might be his last, and he expects to retire from football within a couple of years. However, for now, Ronaldo prefers to concentrate on the team's objective rather than discussing his personal plans.

"There's no point in being repetitive and losing focus," Ronaldo said. "Maybe later on I'll give more interviews and speak more clearly about what I think for the future, but Portugal has another opportunity to be in another finals."