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Ronaldo’s retirement hint
Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted that he may end his trophy-laden career at the end of this season, telling Vogue in an interview published on Sunday: "This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy."
“"This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy."”
Ronaldo, 41, said he has "my future all mapped out" and described how he wants to fill time beyond the sport, including watching and playing padel, after "25 years with a lot of sacrifice."
The Portuguese captain’s contract with Al Nassr runs until June 2027, and he is set to enter the 24th season of his senior career.
Ronaldo previously announced his retirement from international football after the 2026 World Cup but did not close the door on making future appearances for the national team, and he scored three goals at this summer's World Cup.
He is Portugal's all-time leader in caps (233) and goals (146) and in 2026 joined Argentina's Lionel Messi as the only men to appear in six World Cups.
Goals, marriage, and timing
Multiple outlets tied Ronaldo’s comments to his near-term timeline, with NDTV Profit saying the upcoming 2026-27 season could be his final one at the top level and quoting him: "This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy."
NDTV Profit also put his scoring chase in context, saying he is chasing the milestone of 1,000 professional career goals and that he currently sits on 976 goals.
The BBC said Ronaldo married his partner, Georgina Rodriguez, on Tuesday and is contemplating a future oriented around his family, while also noting he has one year remaining on his contract at Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr.
NBC Los Angeles reported that Al-Nassr’s 2026-27 Saudi Pro League began with a 3-0 win over Al-Fateh on Saturday, and that Ronaldo did not play but watched from a suite in the stadium in Riyadh.
Ronaldo’s World Cup exit also shaped the backdrop, with the BBC saying Portugal bowed out in the round of 16 and that he is 24 goals away from scoring 1,000 senior career goals.
What comes next
Ronaldo’s retirement hint is framed as a shift from playing to a planned next chapter, with the BBC emphasizing his family-focused outlook and quoting him about filling time beyond football: "Because football could leave a big hole, you have to fill your time in various ways, not just one."
“"Because football could leave a big hole, you have to fill your time in various ways, not just one."”
The Irish Times similarly reported that he is contracted to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr until June 2027 and said he is 24 goals short of scoring 1,000 goals, after making the Vogue comments about "probably my last year of football."
While he suggested an end to his playing career, he also left room on the international front, with the Irish Times saying that after Portugal were eliminated from the 2026 World Cup, Ronaldo denied he would retire from the national team yet and left the option open to play in Euro 2028.
Al Jazeera added that Ronaldo will continue playing for Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr this season as he closes in on the milestone of 1,000 career goals, after saying: "This is probably my last year of football and I want to leave a spectacular legacy,".
Across the coverage, the immediate consequence is that Ronaldo’s final-season framing is now explicit, with his Vogue remarks landing as his 41-year-old Portugal captain role and his Al Nassr contract both point toward a defined endpoint.
