Katia Aveiro, Cristiano Ronaldo’s sister, has taken to social media with comments strongly suggesting the 41-year-old will hang up his international boots after the 2026 World Cup. Ronaldo himself said in November 2025 that this tournament would “definitely” likely be his last for Portugal.

What Katia actually said

Aveiro’s social media activity came in the wake of Portugal’s underwhelming 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo in June 2026. Her posts were less a tearful farewell announcement and more a pointed critique of Portugal’s midfield play and team dynamics.

She didn’t mince words about what she saw as internal issues within the squad. The comments sparked predictable debate among fans about whether the team’s cohesion could survive a deep tournament run.

The Binance partnership and billion-dollar problem

Ronaldo’s entry into the crypto world began with a high-profile partnership with Binance, established in 2022. The collaboration produced multiple exclusive CR7 NFT collections tied to career milestones, with prices ranging from approximately $77 to $10,000.

In 2023, a class-action lawsuit was filed in the US claiming over $1 billion from Ronaldo. The allegation: that his NFT promotions effectively boosted Binance’s visibility at a time when the exchange was navigating significant regulatory challenges, misleading investors in the process.

The market’s response, or lack thereof

Trading volumes for associated tokens like Ronaldo Coin (RONALDO) and CR7 meme tokens, both available on Ethereum, have remained negligible. Neither Aveiro’s social media commentary nor the broader retirement narrative has produced any observable movement in these tokens.

What this means for crypto investors

Ronaldo’s situation is essentially a case study in the risks of celebrity-driven crypto products. The initial Binance partnership generated headlines and presumably drove some retail participation into the exchange’s ecosystem. But the aftermath, a billion-dollar lawsuit, regulatory scrutiny, and tokens that trade at negligible volumes, tells a cautionary tale.

The legal risk is real and evolving. The class-action against Ronaldo could set precedent for how courts treat celebrity crypto promotions. If the plaintiffs prevail, every athlete and influencer with a token deal will need to reconsider how aggressively they market these products.