Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo has affirmed that he will not retire from football until he reaches 1000 career goals.
The 40-year-old striker scored twice in Al-Nassr’s 3-0 win over Al Akhdoud on Saturday, taking his combined total for club and country to 956 goals.
Ronaldo, who joined Al-Nassr in 2022, signed a contract extension with the Saudi club last July for an additional two years, which will see him playing beyond his 42nd birthday.
Speaking at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai on Sunday, the Portuguese star said (via BBC Sport): “It’s hard to continue playing, but I am motivated. 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. I will reach the number for sure, if no injuries.”
This season, Cristiano has scored 13 goals in 14 Saudi Pro League matches, helping Al-Nassr top the table, four points ahead of second-placed Al-Hilal.
Since joining the club, he has accumulated 112 goals in 125 appearances, although the team has only won one trophy—the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023.
