Cristiano Ronaldo's Bold Goal: Portugal Star Won't Retire Until '1,000 Career Goals'

At 40, when most footballers have long stepped away, Cristiano Ronaldo is still chasing history, and he insists he is not done yet.

The Portugal captain has reaffirmed that he will retire only after reaching one defining milestone: 1,000 career goals.

Speaking after his latest scoring display in the Saudi Pro League, Ronaldo said injuries are the only thing that could derail his ambition.

'You know what my goal is. I want to win trophies, and I want to reach that number that you all know,' Ronaldo said. 'I will reach the number for sure, if no injuries,' he said.

Already on 956 goals across club and country, the forward believes the target is inevitable, underscoring a career still driven by records, trophies, and an unrelenting hunger to prove longevity has limits he refuses to accept.

All-Time Goalscorer With A Driving Force

On Saturday, he scored twice in the Saudi Pro League in his match against Al-Nassr to give him a total of 956 goals in his career. This translates to a combined total of 143 goals for the Portuguese team, making him the all-time goalscorer in international men's football.

Ronaldo has scored many goals in various first-rate clubs like Manchester United and Real Madrid, where he has scored over 100 goals in those clubs, a very rare case in the history of football.

He joined Al-Nassr in 2022, and at that point, his career took a twist when his contract was renewed by 2 years in July 2022, meaning he would continue playing beyond his 42nd birthday.

Ronaldo has already scored 13 times in 14 matches this season despite challenges adapting to a new league and team, and has helped Al-Nassr stay four points ahead of the Saudi Pro League leader. The club won the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023.

Love Of The Game

At the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai, where he was named the Best Player in the Middle East, Ronaldo stressed how much he loves the game and said he plans to reach 1,000 career goals, which he believed was not far away.

Ronaldo is very committed, and he has even said he wants to keep winning trophies and setting records. He stressed that his motivation will not change, whether he plays in Europe or the Middle East, and that it is the game that brings him happiness: achieving goals, winning trophies, and playing at his best.

Ageing notwithstanding, Ronaldo does not seem to have the desire to retire soon.

Although he earlier stated that the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, would be his final international event, his path says otherwise.

He has also witnessed Portugal at the 2016 European Championship, the first major international trophy in Portugal's history, but he has never won the World Cup, the final item on his glorified career.

Ronaldo, in an interview, said his retirement was not far off and admitted it was emotionally challenging to quit football. However, he is now focused on the objectives and the prizes he must receive.

He believes he will reach the 1,000-goal mark, making his name one of the greatest goal-scorers in the history of the sport.

The outstanding goal-scoring ability has been one of the hallmarks of his career, coupled with his hardworking nature and desire to realise success. His history of performances across different leagues, including on the international stage with Portugal, has made him stand out among others.

Football fans worldwide are eager to see whether Ronaldo can achieve his ambitious goal and maintain his high level of performance into his 40s.