Cristiano Ronaldo hints at retirement at the end of the football season

What the report says

Cristiano Ronaldo has raised the strongest signs yet that he may retire after the current football season. In an interview published Sunday with lifestyle magazine Vogue, the 41-year-old Portugal captain said the coming year would “probably” be his last in the game and that he wants to leave behind a strong legacy. Al Jazeera, citing Reuters, reported the comments on 16 August 2026.

Ronaldo is among the most decorated players in football history. He has won major honours with Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and his current club, Al-Nassr, and he made his senior debut for Sporting in 2002. He also holds the men’s international scoring record and has scored 976 goals for club and country across more than two decades, according to the report.

The article noted that Ronaldo’s latest remarks come after Portugal fell short of winning the World Cup this year, leaving that title absent from his list of achievements. He said he has many interests beyond football and mentioned travel, padel and spending time on other activities as part of life after the sport.

For now, Ronaldo is expected to continue with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr this season as he approaches 1,000 career goals. If he does step away at season’s end, it would mark the close of one of the most prominent careers in modern football.