Cristiano Ronaldo has offered his clearest indication yet that the end of his extraordinary playing career could be approaching, revealing that the upcoming year will “probably” be his last in professional football.
The Portugal captain, now 41, made the comments in an interview with Vogue published on Sunday, opening the door to retirement after more than two decades at the highest level of the sport.
“I want to leave a spectacular legacy,” Ronaldo said while discussing the possibility of his final season.
Ronaldo has enjoyed one of the most decorated careers in football history since making his senior debut for Sporting in 2002. His journey has taken him to some of the biggest clubs in the world, including Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, before his move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.
Along the way, the Portuguese superstar has collected major domestic and international honours and established himself as one of the defining players of his generation.
A five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Ronaldo has also built an extraordinary goalscoring record. He has scored 976 goals for club and country and is now closing in on the remarkable milestone of 1,000 career goals.
That target could provide an added motivation during what may be the final season of his playing career.
‘Probably my last year’
Ronaldo did not announce his retirement outright, but his comments suggested that he is increasingly preparing for life beyond professional football.
“This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy,” Ronaldo said.
The forward also acknowledged that stepping away from football would bring a major change to his daily life after spending around 25 years competing at the highest level.
He admitted that football could leave a significant void once his playing days are over and said he would need to find different ways to keep himself occupied.
“I have so many things to keep me busy that to tell you just one thing is hard,” Ronaldo said.
“Because football could leave a big hole, you have to fill your time in various ways, not just one.”
Ronaldo said he hopes to enjoy more of life away from the demands of professional football, including travelling and spending more time playing padel, a sport he has developed a strong interest in.
A career that defined an era
Ronaldo’s potential retirement would mark the end of one of football’s most remarkable individual stories.
From his early days at Sporting to becoming a global superstar at Manchester United, the Portuguese forward developed into one of the most prolific goalscorers the game has ever seen.
His move to Real Madrid transformed him into the club’s all-time leading scorer and saw him win numerous major trophies, including multiple UEFA Champions League titles.
He later continued his career at Juventus before moving to Al-Nassr, where he has remained a central figure in Saudi football.
Internationally, Ronaldo has also enjoyed a historic career with Portugal. He helped his country win the European Championship in 2016 and the UEFA Nations League in 2019, while becoming Portugal’s most iconic football figure.
However, one major prize has remained out of reach: the FIFA World Cup.
Portugal’s failure to win the tournament means Ronaldo will finish his career without the sport’s biggest international trophy, should he indeed retire after the upcoming season.
Eyes on 1,000 goals
With 976 goals already to his name, Ronaldo is just 24 goals away from reaching the unprecedented 1,000-goal mark.
The milestone could become one of the biggest storylines of his final season if he follows through with his retirement plans.
Despite entering the latter stages of his career, Ronaldo has continued to compete at the highest level and remains one of the biggest names in world football.
For now, he is expected to continue with Al-Nassr during the upcoming Saudi Pro League season.
Whether the campaign ultimately becomes Ronaldo’s farewell tour remains to be seen, but his latest comments have made one thing clear: football’s legendary No. 7 is beginning to think seriously about the final chapter of his playing career.
