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After being honoured as Best Middle East Player in Dubai, Cristiano Ronaldo, captain of Portugal and Al‑Nassr, vowed to prolong his career until he reaches 1,000 goals. He said the effort is tough but his motivation and passion for the sport remain strong, adding that it makes no difference whether he plays in the Middle East or Europe — he simply wants to keep playing.
The 40-year-old scored twice in Al-Nassr's 3-0 win against Al Akhdoud on Saturday to take his tally for club and country to 956 goals. The forward, who joined Al-Nassr in 2022, signed a new two-year deal with the Saudi Arabian club last July that takes him beyond his 42nd birthday.
"You know what my goal is. I want to win trophies and I want to reach that number that you all know. I will reach the number for sure, if there are no injuries.”
In an interview with Piers Morgan last month, Ronaldo said he planned to retire from football "soon".
"I think I will be prepared. It will be tough, of course. I will probably cry," said Ronaldo.
Ronaldo has scored 13 goals in 14 appearances this season for Al-Nassr, who are four points clear at the top of the Saudi Pro League table.
Despite the forward's record of 112 goals in 125 appearances, Al-Nassr have only won one piece of silverware - the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023 - since his arrival.
Ronaldo holds the record for most goals for Portugal (143) and Real Madrid (450), and is the only player to have scored 100+ goals for four clubs - Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al-Nassr.
The striker said in November that the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico will be his last international tournament.
