Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo declared he will not retire until he scores his 1,000th career goal.
The 40-year-old forward scored twice in Al-Nassr’s 3-0 victory over Al Akhdoud on Saturday, bringing his total to 956 goals for club and country.
Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in 2022 and extended his contract last July, signing a two-year deal that keeps him playing past his 42nd birthday.
Ronaldo’s motivation remains high
After receiving the Best Middle East Player award at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai, Ronaldo spoke about his ambitions. He said, “It’s hard to continue playing, but I am motivated. My passion is high, and I want to keep going. It doesn’t matter where I play, whether in the Middle East or Europe. I always enjoy football, and I want to continue.”
He added, “You know my goal. I want to win trophies and reach 1,000 goals. I will achieve it, if injuries don’t stop me.”
Preparing for the future
Last month, Ronaldo told Piers Morgan that he planned to retire “soon.” He admitted, “I think I will be ready. It will be tough, of course. I will probably cry.”
Despite his impressive scoring record, Ronaldo’s team has only captured one trophy since his arrival, the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023. This season, he has netted 13 goals in 14 appearances as Al-Nassr leads the Saudi Pro League by four points.
Records and achievements
Ronaldo holds the most goals for Portugal, scoring 143 times, and for Real Madrid, with 450 goals. He remains the only player to score over 100 goals for four clubs: Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and Al-Nassr.
He confirmed that the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico will mark his final international tournament. Ronaldo captained Portugal to their first major men’s trophy at Euro 2016 in France.
