Cristiano Ronaldo Eyes 1,000 Goals Before Retirement

Cristiano Ronaldo is under contract at Al-Nassr until the summer of 2027 and sits just 21 goals away from the 1,000 competitive-goal landmark, with retirement not expected before he reaches it.

The Portugal captain’s next decision is likely to centre on whether he extends his stay in Riyadh, potentially through rolling one-year terms, or seeks one final club challenge. Al-Nassr and the Saudi Pro League want him to remain a central figure for as long as possible.

Quick facts

Ronaldo has 233 Portugal caps.
He is 21 competitive goals short of 1,000.
His current Al-Nassr deal runs to summer 2027.
A seventh World Cup appearance in 2030 has been ruled out, as he would be in his mid-40s.
Euro 2028 remains a possible target if he retains the desire to continue internationally.

Ronaldo struggled to deliver his usual influence at the 2026 World Cup, where several players in Roberto Martinez’s Portugal squad also failed to hit top form. Questions have followed over whether he should remain part of the national-team picture after reaching 233 appearances.

Portugal, Spain and Morocco will stage the 2030 World Cup, but Ronaldo will not attempt to play at that tournament. Euro 2028 could still be within reach, although club football is expected to become his main focus.

Gus Poyet, who had a short spell in charge of Al-Khaleej last season, believes Ronaldo can continue in Saudi Arabia for as long as he chooses. Poyet said the forward’s physical condition remains exceptional, even if age has reduced his pace and agility.

“He can play until he wants,” Poyet said. “There are not many players like him physically. He is slower and loses some agility, and he knows that. But Ronaldo can still play.”

Poyet described a sharp divide within the Saudi Pro League, with a small group of heavily backed clubs able to recruit elite players, several ambitious privately owned sides improving standards, facilities and stadiums, and a number of teams fighting relegation with far fewer resources.

He added that teams outside the leading group can be badly exposed when foreign players are unavailable, particularly in demanding conditions. Poyet also said many clubs lean on experienced players, despite the challenges posed by the heat and the intensity of the competition.

Ronaldo’s son, Cristiano Jr, is progressing through Al-Nassr’s academy system and could eventually become a first-team teammate of his father. Poyet believes that possibility, alongside the pursuit of 1,000 goals, gives Ronaldo added reason to stay.

“I think he stays,” Poyet said. “Retiring before 1,000 goals would be insane.”

Ronaldo has acknowledged that retirement is now part of his thinking, accepting that even his long-lasting career cannot continue indefinitely. A move into film has been suggested as a possible post-football route, but the immediate targets remain clear: more goals for Al-Nassr and a place in Portugal’s plans for as long as he chooses to pursue it.