SOCCER
Cristiano Ronaldo outlines retirement plan ahead of Portugal games
With 212 caps and 130 international goals to his name, does CR7 have anything left to prove in the international arena?
Now aged 39, what more is there for Cristiano Ronaldo to achieve? The Portuguese superstar has won all that there is to win at club level and led the national team to its first, and so far only, major silverware at the European Championship in 2016.
At the international level CR7 has made more appearances (212) and scored more goals (130) than any other male player. However, as Portugal prepare for their UEFA Nations League opener, Ronaldo insists that retirement is not in his thoughts.
Asked about the prospect of retiring from the national team, Ronaldo replied: “That’s all from the press. It never crossed my mind that my cycle had come to an end. Quite the opposite: it gave me even more motivation to continue, to be honest.”
Former Manchester United teammate Rio Ferdinand revealed recently that CR7 had suggested that he wants to continue playing, potentially for another three years. That would, in theory, cover the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
How many goals has Cristiano Ronaldo scored?
CR7 has previously indicated that he would like to reach 1,000 professional goals before he retires. As it stands, he has 899 goals from his 21-year career, a staggering return for a player who started off as a winger.
Ronaldo has scored 61 more goals than former El Clásico rival Lionel Messi, although the Argentine is two years younger. The numbers remain a target for Ronaldo but, speaking to reporters on Monday, he insisted that his personal record will not come at the expense of team success.
“I try to follow my path, be as professional as possible, help the club in the best way possible with my professionalism and not just with goals, assists, discipline, and example, because football is much more than just playing well or scoring a goal.”
Ronaldo has been named in Roberto Martinez’s Portugal squad for upcoming Nations League fixtures against Croatia (Thursday, September 5) and Scotland (Sunday, September 8). The Portugal head coach has a major decision to make regarding his starting XI. If he can convince Ronaldo to accept that he is no longer a guaranteed starter, CR7′s international career may have another chapter still to write.