Cristiano Ronaldo has given one of his clearest indications yet that his playing career is nearing its end, saying the 2026-27 season will “probably” be his last in professional football.
The 41-year-old Portugal captain made the comments in an interview with Vogue published on Sunday, days after marrying his longtime partner Georgina Rodríguez in Portugal.
“This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy,” Ronaldo said.
Ronaldo remains under contract with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr until 2027 and enters the season within reach of another major milestone: 1,000 career goals. He has scored 976 goals for club and country, according to Reuters.
Ronaldo said he was already preparing for retirement after a professional career spanning nearly 25 years.
“I have my future all mapped out,” he told Vogue, adding that he plans to spend more time with his family, travel and continue playing the racquet sport padel.
“Football could leave a big hole, you have to fill your time in various ways, not just one,” he said.
Ronaldo began his senior career with Sporting CP in 2002 before spells at Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus. He joined Al-Nassr in 2023.
Over his career, he has won five Ballon d’Or awards and five Champions League titles, as well as league championships in England, Spain and Italy. With Portugal, he won Euro 2016 and remains the leading goalscorer in men’s international football.
The interview was released shortly after Ronaldo and Rodríguez married in an intimate ceremony at their home in Cascais, Portugal, on 11 August, exactly 10 years after they first met.
The couple chose a small ceremony centred around their family rather than a large celebration. Rodríguez told Vogue afterwards that the wedding was “intimate, full of love”, with their family playing the central role.
Ronaldo suggested that after decades dominated by football, retirement would give him the opportunity to enjoy the results of those sacrifices.
“After all, it’s been 25 years with a lot of sacrifice,” he said.
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