At 39, Cristiano Ronaldo, who recently broke a record with his recently launched YouTube channel, has achieved just about everything in football. He’s won all the major titles at club level and led Portugal to their first major trophy at the 2016 European Championship.
With 212 appearances and 130 goals, he holds the records for the most caps and goals by any male player in international football.
But as Portugal prepares for their UEFA Nations League opener, retirement isn’t on Ronaldo’s mind.
When asked about the possibility of stepping away from the national team, Ronaldo dismissed the idea. He said:
“That’s all from the press. It never crossed my mind that my cycle had come to an end. Quite the opposite: it gave me even more motivation to continue, to be honest.”
Former Manchester United teammate Rio Ferdinand recently revealed that Ronaldo has hinted he might play for another three years, potentially taking him through to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
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Ronaldo’s Goal-Scoring Ambitions!
Ronaldo has long expressed a desire to reach 1,000 professional goals before he hangs up his boots. Currently, he’s at 899 goals—a remarkable achievement for someone who began his career as a winger.
While he’s scored 61 more goals than his longtime rival Lionel Messi, Ronaldo, who is two years older, insists that his personal milestones won’t come at the expense of his team’s success.
“I try to follow my path, be as professional as possible, help the club in the best way possible with my professionalism—not just with goals, assists, discipline, and example—because football is much more than just playing well or scoring a goal.”
Ronaldo explained.
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Portugal’s Nations League Campaign
Ronaldo has been included in Roberto Martinez’s Portugal squad for their upcoming Nations League fixtures against Croatia on September 5 and Scotland on September 8.
The Portugal head coach faces a big decision: whether to continue starting Ronaldo or convince the star to take on a different role.
If Ronaldo is open to accepting that he may not always be the first name on the team sheet, there could be another exciting chapter in his already legendary international career.