Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed he will not retire from professional football until he reaches the landmark of 1,000 career goals, underlining his continued motivation despite turning 40 earlier this year.
The Portugal captain moved to within touching distance of the milestone on Saturday, scoring twice in Al-Nassr’s 3-0 victory over Al Akhdoud to take his combined total for club and country to 956 goals.
Ronaldo, who joined Al-Nassr in 2022, committed his future to the Saudi Pro League side last July by signing a new two-year contract that will keep him playing beyond his 42nd birthday.
Speaking in Dubai on Sunday after being named Best Middle East Player at the Globe Soccer Awards, Ronaldo stressed that his desire to compete remains undiminished.
“It’s hard to continue playing, but I am motivated,” he said. “My passion is high and I want to keep going. It doesn’t matter where I play, whether in the Middle East or Europe. I always enjoy playing football.
“You know what my goal is. I want to win trophies and I want to reach that number you all know. I will reach it for sure, if there are no injuries.”
His comments follow a recent interview with broadcaster Piers Morgan in which Ronaldo suggested his retirement was approaching, admitting the emotional challenge he expects to face when the moment finally arrives.
“I think I will be prepared. It will be tough, of course. I will probably cry,” he said last month.
On the pitch, Ronaldo continues to deliver consistently. He has scored 13 goals in 14 appearances this season for Al-Nassr, who currently sit four points clear at the top of the Saudi Pro League standings.
However, team success has been more limited. Despite Ronaldo’s impressive return of 112 goals in 125 matches for the club, Al-Nassr have lifted just one trophy since his arrival — the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023.
Ronaldo remains the all-time leading scorer for both Portugal, with 143 international goals, and Real Madrid, where he netted 450 times. He is also the only player in history to score 100 or more goals for four different clubs: Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al-Nassr.
At international level, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has already indicated that the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico will be his final tournament with Portugal. He famously captained his country to Euro 2016 glory in France, securing Portugal’s first major men’s international title.
