Cristiano Ronaldo retirement speculation intensified after the 41-year-old Al Nassr forward told Vogue in an interview published Sunday that the coming year would probably be his last in professional football.
“This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy,” Ronaldo said in the interview, according to People.
Ronaldo did not announce a retirement date. His Al Nassr contract runs until June 2027, covering the 2026-27 Saudi Pro League season, according to BBC Sport.
The Portugal captain said he had already planned his life after football. Ronaldo told Vogue that he wanted to travel, play padel and spend more time enjoying the earnings from a career that required 25 years of sacrifice.
His comments followed Portugal’s elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Spain defeated Portugal 1-0 in their round-of-16 match at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on July 6, with Mikel Merino scoring in first-half stoppage time, according to FIFA.
The tournament was Ronaldo’s sixth and final World Cup. After Portugal’s exit, he said he would not make an immediate decision about retiring from international football.
Ronaldo made his senior debut for Sporting CP in 2002 before representing Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus. He joined Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr in January 2023.
