‘Probably my last year’ – Ronaldo hints at retirement
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Cristiano Ronaldo has suggested that the current season could be his last as a professional footballer, saying he wants to "leave a spectacular legacy" before turning his focus to family life. The 41-year-old, who married his partner Georgina Rodriguez on Tuesday, made the comments in a Vogue interview, marking one of his clearest hints yet at retirement after a 25-year career that has made him one of the most decorated players in the sport's history.
Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d'Or winner and five-time Champions League champion, has won league titles in England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia, and remains men's football's all-time leading international goalscorer. He is currently with Al-Nassr, where he has one year left on his contract, and sits 24 goals short of 1,000 career goals. His long-time rival Lionel Messi has also recently hinted at an uncertain future, though the pair's most recent World Cup campaigns diverged sharply, with Messi reaching the final and Ronaldo's Portugal exiting in the round of 16.
- Ronaldo says this season is "probably" his last as a player
- He's newly married and eyeing a family-focused future
- Sits 24 goals from 1,000 career goals; contract runs one more year
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Cristiano Ronaldo is a Portuguese footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation, with a career spanning 25 years and spells at clubs including Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus. Now 41 and playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, he has won numerous league titles across different countries, five Champions League trophies and five Ballon d'Or awards, and holds the record for most international goals scored by a man.
His career has long been compared with that of Lionel Messi, the Argentine forward, with the two seen as the defining rivals of their footballing era. Both are now in the later stages of their careers, and questions about when each might retire have become a recurring topic in football, particularly after their most recent World Cup campaigns ended very differently.
Any suggestion from Ronaldo about his future plans is closely followed given his global profile, his proximity to the milestone of 1,000 career goals, and the fact that his contract situation, family life and on-pitch decisions all carry wider significance for the clubs, competitions and fans connected to him.