News Desk: Cristiano Ronaldo says retirement will have to wait until he achieves one final milestone, hitting 1,000 goals across his career.
The Portugal captain, now 40, lifted his tally to 956 goals for club and country after scoring twice in Al-Nassr’s 3–0 victory over Al Akhdoud on Saturday. Ronaldo joined the Saudi club in 2022 and extended his contract last July, keeping him there past his 42nd birthday.
Speaking in Dubai after receiving the Best Middle East Player award at the Globe Soccer Awards, Ronaldo acknowledged that playing at the top level becomes harder with age, but stressed that his desire to compete remains strong.
He said his love for football still motivates him, whether in Europe or the Middle East, and that his focus is on winning more titles while pursuing the long-standing target of reaching four figures, as long as injuries do not interfere.
Ronaldo recently told Piers Morgan that he expects to step away from the game “soon,” admitting the decision will be emotional when it comes.
On the field, he has begun the season impressively, scoring 13 goals in 14 matches as Al-Nassr lead the Saudi Pro League by four points. Despite his outstanding record of 112 goals in 125 games, the club has secured only one major trophy during his time there, the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023.
Ronaldo already owns multiple scoring records, including the all-time marks for Portugal (143 goals) and Real Madrid (450 goals). He is also the first player to score 100-plus goals for four different clubs: Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al-Nassr.
