Cristiano Ronaldo has sparked speculation about his future in football after hinting that the 2026/27 season will likely be his last as a professional footballer, BTA reports. The 41-year-old Portuguese continues to captain the national team and is a leading figure in Al-Nassr. Ronaldo has a career that began in 2002 with Sporting Lisbon, and then went through Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus.
The five-time winner of the “Golden Ball“ has won numerous national and international trophies, but has never managed to triumph at a World Cup. Portugal did not reach the final matches of the 2026 World Cup, which further raised questions about how much longer Ronaldo intends to stay on the field. "This is probably my last year in football and I want to leave a great legacy," the striker said in an interview with Vogue published on Sunday.
Ronaldo has scored a total of 976 goals for club and country, putting him just 24 goals shy of the 1,000-goal mark. The Portuguese admits that life after football will be a big change for him. "I have so many things to do that it's hard to tell you just one. Football can leave a big void, so you have to fill your time in different ways," he explained.
Among the things he wants to do more of, Ronaldo mentioned travel, vacation and padel - a sport he is passionate about. He also stressed his desire to enjoy more of what he has achieved over the years. "After all, it's been 25 years, full of sacrifices," the star added.
Ronaldo will continue to play for Al-Nassr this season. His big personal goal remains to reach 1,000 goals, which could make the final stage of his career one of the most significant periods in football history.