Cristiano Ronaldo says this is probably his final year

Cristiano Ronaldo has said this year is “probably” his last as a professional footballer, offering the clearest indication yet that the end of one of the game’s most decorated careers may be close.

Ronaldo points to retirement in the near future

The Al-Nassr and Portugal forward made the comments in an interview with Vogue, where he said he expects to step away from playing soon. Ronaldo, now 41 and captain of Portugal, had already suggested in previous remarks that retirement could come in the near future, but this was a more direct assessment of his timeline.

He said this year is likely to be his final one in football and added that he wants to leave behind what he described as a spectacular legacy. It is a statement that fits the scale of a career that has stretched across more than two decades at the highest level.

A career defined by extraordinary numbers

Ronaldo’s standing among football’s all-time greats has long been secure, and the numbers underline why. He has scored more than 950 goals for club and country, a remarkable total that places him in rare company in the history of the sport.

His career has taken in spells with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, before his move to Al-Nassr. On the international stage, he remains a central figure for Portugal and was part of the side that reached the last 16 of the World Cup this summer.

• Al-Nassr and Portugal forward
• Portugal captain
• More than 950 goals for club and country
• Previously said he could retire soon or within one or two years

Life after football already taking shape

Ronaldo also indicated that his post-playing future is already planned. He said his life after football is mapped out, while acknowledging that leaving the game could create a significant gap after so many years of routine, competition and sacrifice.

Among the activities he highlighted were travel and padel, suggesting he is already thinking carefully about how to structure the next phase of his life. His comments reflected a player preparing not only for retirement itself, but for the challenge of replacing the intensity and purpose that elite football has provided for much of his adult life.

A new season ahead with Al-Nassr

The interview comes as Ronaldo prepares to link up with Al-Nassr for the new Saudi Pro League season. Even with retirement now appearing closer than ever, his immediate focus remains on club football and his commitments with Portugal.

Off the pitch, Ronaldo has also entered a new chapter in his personal life after marrying his partner, Georgina Rodríguez, in an intimate ceremony in Cascais. In the same interview, he spoke about wanting to enjoy what he and his family have earned after 25 years marked by sacrifice.

For now, Ronaldo has stopped short of making a formal retirement announcement. But his latest comments suggest football may be approaching the final stretch of a career that has shaped an era.