Cristiano Ronaldo, the all-time leading scorer in men’s soccer, has said he is taking one game at a time, suggesting retirement is no longer a distant thought for him. The Portuguese superstar also admitted that he might not be able to meet the 1,000-goal target he had set for himself, but he would not feel disheartened by the shortfall.
Cristiano Ronaldo Is Still Going Strong
The definition of longevity, Ronaldo, will turn 40 on February 5. Almost every player who debuted around the same time as Ronaldo has long retired from the sport, accomplishing far less than he has. However, the 39-year-old is not driven by what others have done in the sport. He is competing with himself, pushing as hard as he can for as long as possible.
The Al-Nassr superstar is firing on all cylinders in the 2024-25 season, scoring 10 goals and providing three assists for the club in 15 games across competitions. He has also scored three goals in four UEFA Nations League matches for Portugal since September.
Ronaldo Admits He May Not Reach 1,000-Goal Milestone
In September, Ronaldo became the first-ever player in men’s soccer to score 900 career goals across club and country. After reaching the milestone, Ronaldo set an ambitious target for himself — to score 1,000 career goals. The former Real Madrid man’s form is better than many players in their prime, but Ronaldo himself does not seem 100% dialed in for the challenge.
Speaking after receiving the Platinum Quinas — the highest honor available for Portuguese players — the ex-Manchester United forward said (via GOAL):
“I now face my life as living in the moment. I can’t think long-term anymore.
“I said publicly that I wanted to reach 1,000 goals, but it seems that now everything is easy, just last month I reached 900. It’s about living in the moment, seeing how my legs will respond in the next few years. If I reach 1,000 goals, that’s fine, but if I don’t, I’m already the player with the most goals in history.”
Ronaldo sees his Al-Nassr contract expire on June 30, 2025. Taking his latest comments into account, there is a chance that the veteran striker will not sign a new deal with the Saudi Pro League aspirants.
