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Cristiano Ronaldo is about to turn 40, but he still shows strong passion and has no intention of stopping. CR7 is the number 1 star at Al Nassr and has just played with Portugal at Euro 2024.
However, Ronaldo cannot win over time. He is gradually slowing down, becoming less sharp and out of breath compared to his peak version. So, when will the Portuguese legend decide to stop?
When will Cristiano Ronaldo retire?
In early 2024, Ronaldo joked that he would play football for another 10 years before retiring: “I don’t know either. Of course soon, soon I mean in 10 years.”
Ronaldo’s girlfriend, Georgina Rodriguez, also hinted about Ronaldo’s retirement date in a conversation at Paris Fashion Week: “One more year for Cristiano and then he will retire. But maybe two years, I don’t know.”
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At the national team level, many believe that the 2022 World Cup will be Ronaldo’s last appearance for Portugal, especially as he was benched in the knockout matches against Switzerland and Morocco.
However, everything changed since Roberto Martinez replaced Fernando Santos and appointed CR7 as captain. Ronaldo took the position of Portugal’s striker at Euro 2024 and was constantly defended by his coach in front of the press.
After Portugal qualified for the quarter-finals of Euro 2024, Ronaldo spoke about his future: “This is definitely my last Euro. But I’m not emotional about that. I’m emotional about everything football brings — the passion I have for the game, the passion when I see the people who support me, my family, the affection people have for me. Making people happy is what motivates me the most.”
Portugal were eventually eliminated by France in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024. That was his last match in the European Championship.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s club career
At the age of 16, Ronaldo’s talent was discovered in the Sporting youth team. He made his club debut in the UEFA Champions League at the age of 17, before Manchester United signed Ronaldo in 2003 for £12 million.
At Old Trafford, Ronaldo wore the prestigious number 7 shirt, bringing home many titles and personal awards. CR7 won his first Ballon d’Or while playing for the Red Devils.
In 2009, Real Madrid made Ronaldo the most expensive player in the world with a fee of 94 million euros. At Santiago Bernabeu, Ronaldo experienced the peak of his career. He scored continuously and won countless big and small titles with Real Madrid. Most notably were 4 Champions League titles, 2 La Liga and 3 FIFA Club World Cups.
In 2018, Ronaldo moved to Juventus for 100 million euros and achieved many successes with the Italian team, except for the Champions League. In 2021, Ronaldo returned to Old Trafford. However, his time at Man United was not as beautiful as expected and he moved to Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League at the end of 2022.
YearClub
2002–2003Sporting Lisbon
2003–2009Manchester United
2009–2018Real Madrid
2018–2021Juventus
2021–2022Manchester United
2023–presentAl Nasr
Cristiano Ronaldo’s career in Portugal
Ronaldo played for Portugal at youth levels from U15 to U23. He made his senior debut against Kazakhstan in 2003.
By Euro 2024, Ronaldo had more than 200 caps for the national team and scored 130 goals in 21 years of dedication to the national team. Ronaldo is also the player who scored the most goals at the national team level. .
CR7’s only achievement with Portugal is the Euro 2016 championship. He has never won the World Cup or other tournaments.
How much is Ronaldo’s salary at Al Nassr?
Spanish newspaper Marca reported that Ronaldo received around 100 million euros when he signed with Al Nassr. Including salary and commercial agreements, Ronaldo is said to earn nearly 200 million euros a year in Saudi Arabia.
According to many sources, the MLS team – Sporting Kansas City also negotiated with Ronaldo and offered a similar salary, but the owner of 5 Golden Balls decided not to move to the US.
Why did Al Nassr sign Ronaldo?
Al Nassr’s decision to sign Cristiano Ronaldo is a strategic move to elevate the profile of Saudi Arabian football on the global stage. Ronaldo is a key player in the Saudi government’s ambitious plan to transform their national football scene, aiming to establish themselves as a dominant force in Asian football.
By bringing in superstars like Ronaldo, Neymar, Karim Benzema, and Ngolo Kante, Saudi Arabia is bolstering its bid to host the 2030 World Cup. The presence of these football legends is a testament to the nation’s dedication to achieving this prestigious goal.
