Cristiano Ronaldo vows to play until 1,000th career goal
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has vowed not to retire until he reaches 1,000 career goals.
After being named Best Middle East Player at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai on Sunday, Ronaldo said: "It's hard to continue playing, but I am motivated. My passion is high and I want to continue. It doesn’t matter where I play, whether in the Middle East or Europe. I always enjoy football and want to keep going. My goal is to reach 1,000 goals, and I will, if I stay injury-free," News.Az reports, citing BBC Sport.
The 40-year-old forward scored twice in Al-Nassr’s 3-0 win over Al Akhdoud on Saturday, bringing his total for club and country to 956 goals. Ronaldo, who joined Al-Nassr in 2022, signed a two-year contract extension last July, keeping him at the Saudi club past his 42nd birthday.
Earlier this year, Ronaldo told Piers Morgan he was preparing to retire soon, admitting it would be an emotional farewell.
This season, he has netted 13 goals in 14 appearances as Al-Nassr lead the Saudi Pro League by four points. Despite scoring 112 goals in 125 games for the club, his only trophy there so far is the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup.
Ronaldo holds records as Portugal’s all-time top scorer (143 goals) and Real Madrid’s top scorer (450 goals). He is also the only player to score 100+ goals for four clubs: Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and Al-Nassr.
He has announced that the 2026 World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico will be his final international tournament. Ronaldo led Portugal to their first major men’s international trophy at Euro 2016.
Similar news
