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.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that the United States must recognise that the “rules of the game” i...
Russian President Vladimir Putin held more than three hours of talks with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow on efforts to end t...
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has left for France for a four-day visit aimed at strengthening ties with Paris, including a summit with Frenc...
An eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Anak Krakatau has disrupted air travel, school activities and fishing operations, with hundreds of passengers stranded at Jakarta’s main airport on Sunday.
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Moscow for peace talks on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, two people familiar with the matter said. They were met by Russian Presidential Envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that the United States must recognise that the “rules of the game” in its war against Iran had changed “before it is too late”, a day after Washington struck several Iranian tankers in the Gulf.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held more than three hours of talks with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow on efforts to end the Ukraine war.
Two Greek military pilots were killed on Saturday when an F-4 Phantom fighter jet crashed during an air show at Tanagra air base, north of Athens, officials said.
The 83rd Venice Film Festival has opened on the Lido, bringing Hollywood stars and leading filmmakers together for a programme dominated by war, political violence, grief, power and the pressures shaping the modern world.
Britain's King Charles, French President Emmanuel Macron and Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham visited the exhibition housing the historic Bayeux Tapestry on Wednesday (2 September), which depicts the conquest of England by the monarch's ancestor William I in 1066.
Country music legend Dolly Parton, whose songs, unmistakable style and warmth made her one of America’s most enduring entertainers, has died aged 80, her family said on Tuesday.
Kanye West’s first solo concert in Central Asia delivered an estimated five billion tenge ($11 million) tourism boost to Almaty, drawing 31,000 spectators from more than 50 countries.
American actress Hayden Panettiere, known for her roles in TV shows such as Nashville and Heroes, has died at the age of 36, ABC News reported on Sunday, citing her representative.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment