Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has addressed the speculation regarding his potential retirement, admitting that he is unsure whether the current campaign will be the final season of his illustrious playing career.
Cristiano Ronaldo has faced growing questions about his future after previously suggesting that the 2026-27 campaign could be his last. With Lionel Messi recently taking the decision to call time on his spell with Argentina, many expected a similar move from the Al-Nassr forward.
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However, speaking ahead of Portugal’s clash with Wales on Thursday, the 41-year-old stressed that he remains focused on the present and will ultimately allow his body to determine when the time is right to walk away from football.
“I’m not thinking too far ahead; I’m focusing on the present moment,” he said in quotes shared by Al Nassr Zone on X (formerly Twitter). “I’m here, and Portugal relies on me.”
“Will this be my final year? Maybe. We’ll see. We’ll also see how my body feels. I really don’t know. I’m saying this from the heart,” the five-time Ballon d’Or winner added.
Despite the uncertainty over his long-term future, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to be a key player for club and country. He’s bagged three goals for Al-Nassr in seven appearances across all competitions so far this season, playing a total of 513 minutes.
Thanks to those numbers, the attacker has earned his place in Portugal’s squad for the UEFA Nations League this week. He is expected to lead the attack when Jorge Jesus’ men take on Wales in Lisbon on Thursday.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s incredible journey to 1,000 career goals
Cristiano Ronaldo is now edging closer to one of football’s greatest milestones. The Al-Nassr captain has scored 979 goals for club and country so far, meaning he needs just 21 more to become the first male player to reach 1,000 official career goals.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has built that remarkable tally across some of Europe’s biggest clubs. His most prolific spell came at Real Madrid, where he bagged a whopping 450 goals in 438 appearances. He also scored 145 goals for Manchester United, 101 for Juventus, 132 for Al-Nassr, 5 for Sporting Lisbon and 146 for Portugal, making him the highest goalscorer in men’s international football.
Despite turning 41 earlier this year, Ronaldo has shown few signs of slowing down. With Al-Nassr and Portugal still competing in multiple competitions this season, the attacker will be hoping to reach the historic 1,000-goal mark before eventually calling time on his legendary career.
Edited by Vignesh Raja
