”I always thought the body retired the player. As for him, I am convinced that it is the brain that makes a footballer retire.” This is the explanation Roberto Martínez gave at MARCA a few weeks ago to define the character of the 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, who is at one of the most unusual times in his career, but there are still many challenges ahead before he can say “enough is enough.”
It is a mystery what has been going through his head in recent days, after a frenzied few days and constant rumors after he declared “rebellion” following Karim Benzema’s move to Al Hilal. In fact, there was even speculation in Portugal that he would trigger the 50 million clause in his contract with Al Nasr and leave Al Nasr.
But life doesn’t stop. It may seem endless, but Cristiano’s internal clock forced him to make a decision. Either they will maintain the momentum they have maintained in PIF, or they will withdraw from the match by missing the match against Al Riyadh, which ended in a narrow victory for Al Nasr and entered the competition for the Saudi Pro League title in earnest.
I always thought the body retired the player. Thanks to him, I am convinced that it is the brain that makes a football player retire.
With little to gain and next Friday’s game against Al Ittihad marked on the calendar, Cristiano will post a photo on social media from his afternoon training session with Al Nasr to put an end to the mystery and blow out the candles with two clear wishes. His goal is to be in top condition for the 2026 World Cup, where Portugal is one of the favorites, and to enter the final stretch of his race to reach 1,000 goals as a professional.
Cristiano said at the Globe Soccer Awards gala: “It’s difficult to keep playing, but I still have the passion and the motivation. It doesn’t matter where I play, whether it’s in the Middle East or Europe. I always want to win more titles and reach the numbers that everyone knows about. As long as I don’t get injured, I’m sure I can do it.”
It’s up to him to put the boots back on. I’m sure Jorge Jesus will be happy about this and above all I’m completely convinced that Cristiano will reach his 1000th goal. “I use him as an example. I have no doubt that he will reach 1,000 goals in 2026. People don’t realize how hungry and fit he is.”
After his last goal against Al Horod, Cristiano now has 962 goals. He is 38 goals away from achieving an unprecedented and virtually impossible challenge. However, with 15 matches remaining in the SPL and at least two games remaining in AFC Champions League 2, it seems unlikely that Cristiano will be ready in time for the World Cup.
“Winning the World Cup won’t change my name in football history. I’m not going to lie,” the Portuguese admitted in an interview with Piers Morgan last November. He is not wrong, as his achievements in the world of football were already written long ago.
Even if I win the World Cup, my name in soccer history will not change.
On his 41st birthday, Cristiano realized there was still more to do: 1000 goals, the World Cup and the dream of playing alongside his son. “Sometimes he says to me, ‘Dad, please wait a few more years because I want to play with you.’ So I train like a 20-year-old kid.” There is no such thing as a ‘limit’ in his dictionary and he continues to prove that he is not retiring from football, rather than the other way around.
