Cristiano Ronaldo Aims for 1,000 Career Goals Before Retirement
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has declared that he will not retire from professional football until he reaches his milestone of 1,000 career goals.
The 40-year-old forward netted twice during Al-Nassr's 3-0 victory against Al Akhdoud on Saturday, bringing his overall tally for club and country to 956 goals.
Since joining Al-Nassr in 2022, Ronaldo signed a two-year contract extension last July that will keep him with the Saudi Arabian club beyond his 42nd birthday.
After being honored as the Best Middle East Player at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai on Sunday, Ronaldo expressed his determination: "It's hard to continue playing, but I am motivated. My passion is high, and I want to continue. It doesn't matter where I play, whether in the Middle East or Europe. I always enjoy playing football, and I want to keep going."
He added, "You know what my goal is. I want to win trophies, and I want to reach that number [1,000 goals]. I will reach that number for sure, barring any injuries."
In a recent interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo mentioned that he plans to retire from football "soon." He acknowledged the emotional challenges of retirement, stating, "I think I will be prepared. It will be tough, of course. I will probably cry."
Ronaldo has scored 13 goals in 14 appearances this season for Al-Nassr, who currently lead the Saudi Pro League by four points.
Despite his impressive record of 112 goals in 125 appearances, Al-Nassr has secured only one trophy—the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023—since his arrival.
Ronaldo holds the record for the most goals scored for Portugal (143) and Real Madrid (450) and is the only player to have scored over 100 goals for four different clubs: Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and Al-Nassr.
He announced in November that the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will be his last international tournament. Ronaldo captained Portugal to victory in Euro 2016, marking the nation's first international men's trophy.