There doesn’t seem to be much in the world that appeals to Cristiano Ronaldo more than scoring goals, but the 39-year-old will retire from football at some point.
After a historic season in the Saudi Pro League in 2023/24, Ronaldo said: “I don’t follow records, records follow me.”
Since joining the Saudi club on a free transfer in January 2023 after leaving Manchester United, the Portuguese icon has scored 64 goals in 69 games in all competitions.
For his country, he is now competing in an 11th major tournament as he leads Portugal into Germany for the European Championship, but could this be his last run on the big stage?
sports news Take a look at the details of his contract and what has been said about CR7’s possible retirement.
When will Cristiano Ronaldo retire?
In early 2024, Ronaldo joked that he had 10 more years to play before he retired. He was at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai when he said: “When it’s over, I don’t know to be honest.
“Of course it will be soon, soon I mean 10 more years,” he laughs. “No, I’m joking, I don’t know, let’s see.”
A video of his partner, Georgina Rodríguez, also went viral when she was heard saying: “One more year for Cristiano and then it’s over. Maybe two, I don’t know,” while chatting with models at Paris Fashion Week.
Internationally, there was much speculation that the 2022 World Cup would be Ronaldo’s last act for Portugal, especially since he was left on the bench for the team’s round of 16 matches against Switzerland and Morocco.
But he played after that tournament, with a change of coach that saw a resurgence in his fortunes when Roberto Martínez replaced Fernando Santos and quickly appointed Ronaldo as his captain.
He will now take Portugal into battle at Euro 2024, although time is surely ticking on his international career and it would not be a surprise if he retired from international football after the tournament in Germany.
Cristiano Ronaldo: club career, history
At the age of 16, Ronaldo’s talent was seen in Sporting’s youth team and he was later promoted to the first team. He made his debut for the club in the UEFA Champions League aged 17, before Manchester United acquired him in 2003 for £12 million.
At Old Trafford, he wore the prestigious number 7 shirt, obtaining numerous titles and personal recognitions in his first stage at the club.
Real Madrid spent 94 million euros for his services in 2009, and he became their all-time leading scorer, in addition to winning four Ballon d’Ors. His time at Madrid included such unforgettable moments as winning four La Liga titles. of Champions, two LaLiga triumphs and three FIFA Club World Cups.
In 2018, looking for new challenges amid alleged discontent, he made a transfer to Juventus for €100 million, where he continued his scoring records and won consecutive Serie A titles.
His return to United in 2021 was marked by a sensational debut when he scored twice in a 4-1 win over Newcastle, but the season ended without a trophy and managerial changes led to his departure in 2022.
Ronaldo found another challenge when he moved to Al Nassr in 2023, where he recently broke the record for most goals in a Saudi Pro League season.
| Ronaldo’s senior club career | |
|---|---|
| Years | Equipment |
| 2002-2003 | Sports |
| 2003-2009 | manchester united |
| 2009-2018 | real Madrid |
| 2018-2021 | Juventus |
| 2021-2022 | manchester united |
| 2023–present | Al Nassr |
Cristiano Ronaldo’s career with Portugal
Having appeared as a youth international from the under-15s to the under-23s, Ronaldo made his senior debut for Portugal against Kazakhstan in 2003.
He has made over 200 international appearances and scored over 125 goals for his country in a 21-year international career. He is the top scorer in the history of international football.
At the international level he has not been as successful as at the club level and has never won a World Cup. You can read more about his Euro Cup record here.
How much is Ronaldo’s salary at Al Nassr?
Spanish publication Marca reported that Ronaldo received a signing fee of €100m (£86.1m/$105m) when he signed for Al Nassr.
With his salary and business deal combined, Ronaldo reportedly earns around €200m a year (£172m/$211m) in Saudi Arabia, making him the highest-paid footballer on the planet.
MLS side Sporting Kansas City also reportedly held talks with Ronaldo and offered him a similar salary level, but the five-time Ballon d’Or winner decided not to move to the United States.
Why did Al Nassr sign Ronaldo?
Al Nassr’s decision to sign Ronaldo was motivated by his desire to become a major power in Asian football, competing with his Arab neighbors and challenging clubs from China, Japan and South Korea at continental level.
The deal is also expected to have played a role in Saudi Arabia’s bid for the 2030 World Cup, following the 2022 tournament in Qatar, with Ronaldo tipped to play an ambassador role in the host selection process.
