Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo has sent shockwaves through the football world by dropping a strong hint at his impending retirement. Following Al Nassr's AFC Champions League match against Al Rayyan, the 39-year-old icon suggested that his time in professional football might be nearing its end, with his focus now shifting from individual accolades to enjoying the game and helping his team succeed.
"I'm just enjoying playing football now as I know I don’t have much time left on the pitch," Ronaldo told reporters after the match. "It is not important to me now to be the best player or to win awards. What is important to me now is to enjoy and help my team."
This revelation, reported by Mirror UK, comes as a surprise to many of Ronaldo’s fans who have followed his illustrious career. The Portuguese forward, who has achieved incredible success with Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and now Al Nassr, is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time. However, his latest comments suggest that the end of his storied journey may be closer than anticipated.
Ronaldo recently reached an astonishing milestone, scoring the 900th goal of his career during Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Croatia in the UEFA Nations League. This achievement further cemented his legacy, with 131 of those goals coming in a Portugal shirt and a significant portion of his tally amassed during his time at Real Madrid, where he became the club’s all-time top scorer.
Despite his continued contributions on the field, Ronaldo acknowledged that his body can no longer perform at the same level it once did in his prime. In a previous interview, he expressed how he plans to miss the adrenaline rush of scoring goals and the nerves that accompany high-stakes moments in football.
“I’m going to miss the adrenaline of scoring a goal, and [the feeling] of being nervous. I think I’m going to miss that because in other parts of my life, I can control that," he said. "The adrenaline of football is never going to exist [again]. This is why I’m going further than football.”
Ronaldo has also been open about the physical toll that over two decades of elite football have taken on his body. He admitted that despite his dedication to maintaining peak fitness, age is a factor he can no longer ignore.
“I give everything, to 40, 41, it doesn’t matter. I give my body for 25 years of football and I cannot give more because age doesn’t allow to go further,” he explained.
While Ronaldo's comments have sparked speculation about when he might officially hang up his boots, the footballing world is left to savor the remaining moments of a career that has spanned over two decades and seen him achieve unprecedented success. As he continues to lead both Al Nassr and Portugal, fans are sure to treasure every match, knowing that one of football’s all-time greats may soon be saying his final goodbye to the sport.
