Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his intention to finish his career at Al Nassr, a professional club in Saudi Arabia, but he does not expect to retire for another two or three years. In an interview with the Portuguese television channel NOW, Ronaldo emphasized that he is happy playing in Saudi Arabia and has no plans to return to his first club, Sporting Lisbon.
“I don’t know if I will retire soon, but probably I will retire here at Al Nassr,” Ronaldo said. “I am very happy with this club, I feel good in this country, and I want to continue.”
Ronaldo moved to the Saudi league in December 2022 after a tumultuous end to his time at Manchester United. So far, he has scored 50 goals in 48 matches for Al Nassr. Although he has experienced significant individual success, the club has yet to win any trophies during his tenure, finishing second in the Saudi league last season and also losing the 2023-24 King’s Cup to rivals Al Hilal.
Media estimates place the value of Ronaldo’s contract in Saudi Arabia at over 220 million dollars. The 39-year-old participated in all of Portugal’s matches at Euro 2024, where the team reached the quarter-finals before losing on penalties to France. Ronaldo wants to continue playing for the Portuguese national team and looks forward to upcoming Nations League matches against Croatia and Poland.
“When I leave the national team, I will not inform anyone in advance; it will be a very spontaneous decision, but also a well-considered one,” he added. “Right now, I just want to help the national team in the upcoming matches.”
Ronaldo, who has now scored 898 goals in his career, also revealed that he has no plans to become a coach once he hangs up his boots. “At the moment, I am not thinking about being a first-team coach or coaching any team. That doesn’t even cross my mind; I have never thought about it. I do not see my future in that direction, but only God knows what the future holds,” he said.
This announcement adds to the ongoing discussions regarding the impact of high-profile players in leagues outside of Europe, particularly in the context of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to increase visibility and investment in football.