Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed that he will not be participating in the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, putting to rest speculation linking him to a potential move to one of the tournament’s competing clubs.

The Portuguese star, who is set to lead his national team in the UEFA Nations League final against Spain on Sunday, addressed the rumours surrounding his club future at a pre-match press interaction.

“It’s almost decided that I will not take part at the FIFA Club World Cup despite receiving many invitations and proposals,” Ronaldo told reporters. “There have been talks, contacts… but you have to think about short, medium and long term.”

Ronaldo arrived in Germany for the Nations League amidst swirling doubts over his next steps at the club level.

His current contract with Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr is due to expire at the end of June, prompting widespread speculation.

In May, Ronaldo had posted a cryptic message on X following Al-Nassr’s final game of the season in May, stating: “This chapter is over. The story? Still being written. Grateful to all.”

The post was interpreted as a signal that his time at the Saudi club could be drawing to a close.

Reports linked Ronaldo with a move to Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr’s domestic rivals and one of the participating teams in the Club World Cup.

It is understood that Ronaldo is currently weighing a substantial offer—reported to be worth £167 million per year—to remain at Al-Nassr.

Despite the magnitude of the offer, the 40-year-old remains cautious about rushing into a short-term decision for the sake of featuring in the global tournament.

“Some teams reached out to me. Some made sense and others did not, but you can’t try and do everything, you can’t catch every ball,” he said. He added that a final decision about his future was “almost final.”

Throughout May, speculation surrounding Ronaldo’s next move dominated headlines.

A popular idea among fans was a move to Major League Soccer in the United States, where he would reunite with long-time rival Lionel Messi. There were also reports of interest from Moroccan club Wydad Casablanca.

Another widely-discussed but emotional option was a potential return to Sporting CP in Portugal, where Ronaldo first burst onto the professional football scene.