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Cristiano Ronaldo says the 2026-27 season could be his final campaign as he begins to consider life beyond football.
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The Portugal captain is just 24 goals away from reaching the historic milestone of 1,000 senior career goals.
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Ronaldo, who has won major trophies across England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia, says he wants to leave the game with a spectacular legacy.
August 16, (THEWILL) — Cristiano Ronaldo has given his strongest indication yet that his extraordinary football career could be approaching its final chapter, admitting that the upcoming season is “probably” his last as he begins to look beyond the game that has defined his life for more than two decades.
The 41-year-old made the revelation while speaking about his recent marriage to longtime partner Georgina Rodriguez, explaining that his priorities are gradually shifting towards family, travel and enjoying the life he has built away from the football pitch.
Ronaldo, however, is not simply preparing to walk away. With 1,000 senior career goals now within touching distance, the Portugal captain still has one of the biggest individual milestones in football history in sight.
“This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy,” Ronaldo said, reflecting on what comes next after a career that has already placed him among the greatest players the sport has produced.
The forward has spent the past four years with Saudi Pro League champions Al-Nassr and has one year remaining on his contract.
Although his latest comments suggest retirement could come at the end of the campaign, Ronaldo has not provided a definitive date, leaving open the possibility that his pursuit of 1,000 goals could influence when he finally decides to call time on his playing career.
Ronaldo currently needs just 24 more goals to reach 1,000 senior career goals, a landmark that would add another extraordinary achievement to a résumé already packed with records.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football and has won five Champions League titles, while also lifting league championships in England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia.
His career has stretched across some of the biggest clubs in Europe, beginning with Sporting Lisbon before his move to Manchester United, where he developed into a global superstar.
His time at Real Madrid produced some of the most prolific scoring seasons of his career, while a spell at Juventus followed before his return to Manchester United and eventual move to Al-Nassr.
At international level, Ronaldo has also enjoyed historic success. He captained Portugal to their first major international trophy at Euro 2016 and remains the central figure of a generation that has transformed the country’s footballing history.
Yet even at this stage of his career, Ronaldo’s ambition has not disappeared. His immediate challenge is reaching four figures before deciding whether there is anything left for him to accomplish on the pitch.
He has already scored hundreds of goals at club and international level, but the prospect of becoming the first player to reach 1,000 senior goals gives his final season a potentially historic dimension.
Ronaldo also acknowledged that retirement will require more than simply stepping away from football.
After spending roughly 25 years at the highest level, he knows the sudden absence of training, matches and competition could leave a significant void.
“Because football could leave a big hole, you have to fill your time in various ways, not just one,” he said, pointing towards a future involving more travel, family time and activities away from professional football.
His comments also come at a fascinating moment in the ongoing story of his rivalry with Lionel Messi.
The Argentine superstar, who has won a record eight Ballon d’Or awards, has also admitted uncertainty over how much longer he intends to continue playing, meaning football’s most famous rivalry could be approaching its final years.
Their respective experiences at the 2026 World Cup could hardly have been more different. Messi enjoyed a remarkable tournament with Argentina, scoring eight goals and leading his country to the final, while Ronaldo and Portugal were eliminated in the round of 16.
Ronaldo had previously refused to confirm whether the tournament would be his final World Cup, saying he would make the decision calmly with his family.
Now, with his latest comments pointing towards retirement after the coming season, the end appears closer than ever.
Al-Nassr have already begun their Saudi Pro League title defence, but Ronaldo was absent from their opening match against Al Fateh, watching the champions’ victory from the stands alongside his family. That image offered a glimpse of a future that could soon become his normal reality.
For now, however, Ronaldo remains a footballer, and there is still one enormous target in front of him.
With only 24 goals separating him from 1,000, his final campaign could become less about simply saying goodbye and more about completing one of the most remarkable statistical achievements in football history.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
