Cristiano Ronaldo has committed to playing beyond his 42nd birthday to achieve his goal of 1,000 career strikes before retiring after the 2026 World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo has declared his intention to continue playing professional football until he reaches the unprecedented milestone of 1,000 career goals.
The 40-year-old forward currently sits on 956 goals for club and country following a brace in Al-Nassr’s recent victory over Al Akhdoud.
Despite his age, the Portuguese captain remains the focal point of the Saudi Pro League leaders, having recently signed a contract extension that keeps him active until at least 2027.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner clarified his future while attending the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai, where he was honored as the Best Middle East Player.
While he admitted in a recent interview that retirement is approaching and will be an emotional transition, his immediate focus remains on silverware and individual records.
Ronaldo also confirmed that the 2026 World Cup remains his intended international swan song before finally hanging up his boots.
“It’s hard to continue playing, but I am motivated,” Ronaldo said. “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.
You know what my goal is. I want to win trophies and I want to reach that number [1,000 goals] that you all know.”