Retirement is edging ever closer for Cristiano Ronaldo. In an interview with Vogue magazine, the 41-year-old Portuguese forward revealed that the 2026/27 campaign is expected to be his final season as a professional footballer.
“This will probably be my last year in football, and I want to leave behind an extraordinary legacy,” he said, adding that he already has his “entire future planned”.
“I have so many things to keep me busy that it is difficult to name just one. Football can leave a huge void, so you need to fill your time in different ways, rather than just one.
"I also want to enjoy myself more, travel more, watch and play padel, a sport I really like, and continue to enjoy what I have achieved, and what we have achieved. After all, it has been 25 years of enormous sacrifice,” he explained.
The interview with the fashion magazine took place around the time of Ronaldo's wedding to Georgina Rodriguez last week. The forward is now preparing to enter his fifth season with Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
Over the course of a remarkable career, CR7 has represented Sporting, Manchester United - on two separate occasions - Real Madrid and Juventus. At international level, he has won 233 caps for Portugal.
His glittering honours list includes 35 trophies, with five Champions League titles, the European Championship and two Nations League triumphs among the highlights.