After a career of breaking records, renowned football star Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted that the upcoming year may be his last in professional football.
At the age of 41, the superstar is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, having won the prestigious Ballon d’Or award five times and securing numerous heavyweight trophies while setting a series of records.
Following his recent marriage to Georgina Rodríguez last Tuesday, Ronaldo, in an interview with Vogue magazine, expressed, “This could very well be my final year of playing football, and I hope to leave an extraordinary mark.” He mentioned that he is looking forward to “spending more time with his family” and added that he has already made a “comprehensive plan” for his future.
“I have too many things to keep busy with, it’s hard to pick just one. After all, leaving football can leave a huge void, so you have to find ways to enrich your life in various aspects, rather than limiting yourself to just one thing,” he said.
“In addition, I want to enjoy more fun, travel more, watch and participate in padel tennis – a sport I really love – while continuing to enjoy the fruits of my labor, the fruits we have collectively achieved. After all, we have made huge sacrifices over these 25 years,” Ronaldo expressed.
This summer, Ronaldo represented the Portugal national team in his sixth FIFA World Cup, scoring three goals during the tournament.
Throughout his illustrious career with clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, Ronaldo has scored a total of 976 goals for both club and country.
Reaching a total of 1000 career goals has always been his target, and this season, while playing in the Saudi league for Al-Nassr Club, he is on course to achieve this milestone.
Ronaldo currently plays for Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr and has one year remaining on his contract.