Islamabad (GNP): Cristiano Ronaldo has signalled that the current campaign could be his final season as a professional footballer, closing out a career defined by record-breaking achievements and sustained dominance at the highest level.
The 41-year-old forward, who married long-time partner Georgina Rodriguez on Tuesday, is now weighing a future centred more heavily on family life. Speaking to Vogue about his wedding, Ronaldo said this was likely his last year in football and that he wanted to leave behind what he called a spectacular legacy.
Ronaldo described his post-football plans as already mapped out, listing travel, more time with family, and padel as some of the pursuits he intends to embrace once his playing days end. He acknowledged that stepping away from the sport would leave a significant void after 25 years built on sacrifice, adding that he intends to fill that time in multiple ways rather than through a single pursuit.
Across a career spanning more than two decades, Ronaldo has claimed five Ballon d’Or titles and five Champions League trophies, along with league championships in England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia. He remains the all-time leading goalscorer in men’s international football and captained Portugal to their first major tournament title at Euro 2016.
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The forward has spent close to four years at Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, where one year remains on his current contract. He sits 24 goals short of reaching 1,000 senior career goals, a milestone that could still arrive before any final decision on retirement is made.
Ronaldo’s remarks follow similar comments from long-time rival Lionel Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who has also expressed uncertainty over how much longer he will continue playing. The two players’ most recent World Cup campaigns diverged sharply, with Messi scoring eight goals and guiding Argentina to the final, while Ronaldo’s Portugal exited in the round of 16.
When asked in July whether his sixth World Cup appearance might be his last, Ronaldo said he would make that decision with a calm head after speaking with his family. Al-Nassr opened their Saudi Pro League title defence against Al Fateh on Saturday, a match Ronaldo did not feature in, choosing instead to watch the champions secure victory from the stands alongside his family.
Managing Editor at Global News Pakistan (GNP), with a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Riphah International University, graduated with a Gold Medal. Reach out at sabahtareengnp@gmail.com
