By_Suraj Karowa /ANW
November 5, 2025 –
In a candid revelation that sent shockwaves through the football world, Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese icon and all-time leading goalscorer, has declared that his retirement from the sport is imminent.
The 40-year-old Al Nassr forward, speaking on Piers Morgan’s Uncensored talk show aired Tuesday, described the decision as “very, very difficult” but one he’s been mentally preparing for since his mid-20s.
With 952 goals across club and international football – a tally he aims to push to 1,000 before hanging up his boots – Ronaldo’s words mark the twilight of a career that redefined excellence in the beautiful game.
“Soon,” Ronaldo responded succinctly when pressed on a timeline, his voice laced with the weight of inevitability. “I think I will be prepared… Nothing will compare to the adrenaline of scoring a goal in football.
But everything has a beginning and everything has an end.” The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, whose trophy cabinet gleams with Champions League triumphs, league titles from England, Spain, and Italy, and a Euro 2016 victory with Portugal, emphasized a shift toward personal fulfillment.
“I’m going to have more time for myself, for my family, to raise my kids,” he added, alluding to his five children, including twins born via surrogate in 2022.
Ronaldo’s journey from a skinny winger at Sporting Lisbon to global superstar began two decades ago, but the seeds of his post-career life were sown early. “I have prepared my future since 25, 26, 27 years old,” he revealed.
Investments in hotels, fashion lines, and a burgeoning media empire – including his CR7 brand – have already cemented his billionaire status, as reported last month when his Al Nassr contract extension boosted his net worth to over $1 billion, making him the first footballer to achieve that milestone.
Yet, for a man who has chased records with relentless precision, stepping away poses an emotional chasm. “It will be very, very difficult,” he admitted, his eyes betraying a flicker of vulnerability rare for the typically stoic athlete.
Currently thriving in Saudi Arabia’s Pro League, Ronaldo sits third in the 2025-26 scoring charts with eight goals in seven matches for Al Nassr.
His move to the Gulf kingdom in late 2022, following a acrimonious exit from Manchester United, was initially viewed as a lucrative sunset cruise. But Ronaldo has silenced doubters, headlining the Asian Champions League alongside ex-Premier League luminaries and propelling Al Nassr toward continental glory.
Last week, he starred in a 3-2 World Cup qualifying win over Hungary, though a penalty miss against Ireland in October underscored his mortality – a stark reminder that even legends falter.
The interview veered into poignant territory when Ronaldo reflected on Manchester United, the club where he blossomed into a phenomenon, winning three Premier League titles and a Champions League. Despite a bitter 2022 departure – marked by explosive criticism of the club’s hierarchy – affection lingers.
“The club is one of the most important clubs in the world and a club that I still have in my heart,” he said, his tone somber. United’s dismal 15th-place finish last season, their worst top-flight standing since relegation in 1973-74, drew his sympathy. “I’m sad… They don’t have a structure. I hope that changes.”
He reserved measured praise for current manager Ruben Amorim, a fellow Portuguese tasked with rebuilding the Red Devils. “They are not on a good path. And it’s not only about the coach and players… He is doing his best. What are you going to do? Miracles are impossible.”
Ronaldo’s words echo broader concerns about United’s ownership under the Glazer family, with fan protests and calls for structural overhaul persisting.
Yet, his enduring love for Old Trafford – where he returns in sentiment if not in boots – humanizes a rivalry long faded.
As Ronaldo contemplates life beyond the pitch, the football calendar churns on with high-stakes drama.
In the UEFA Champions League, Bayern Munich stunned defending champions PSG with a 2-1 upset, while Liverpool edged Real Madrid 1-0 at Anfield, Alexis Mac Allister’s header spoiling Trent Alexander-Arnold’s emotional return. Barcelona, meanwhile, face a stern test against Club Brugge, with Lamine Yamal’s flair offering hope amid LaLiga inconsistencies.
These matches, Ronaldo noted wryly, fuel the sport’s unyielding pulse – one he’ll soon watch from afar.
Ronaldo’s retirement looms as a seismic shift, not just for fans but for the sport’s commercial ecosystem. His 600 million-plus social media followers have amplified football’s global reach, turning goals into viral gold.
Endorsements with Nike, Clear, and Herbalife have netted fortunes, but his on-field magic – the thunderous free-kicks, audacious overheads – remains irreplaceable. Portugal’s national team, still reliant on his clutch performances in qualifiers, faces a post-Ronaldo void, though talents like Bruno Fernandes and Rafael Leao provide solace.
For family, the pivot is profound. Ronaldo’s brood – Cristiano Jr., twins Eva and Mateo, daughter Alana Martina, and newborn Bella Esmeralda – have long been his anchor amid nomadic stardom.
“To raise my kids” tops his post-retirement wishlist, a luxury denied by the grueling schedule of elite athletics. Mentored by his own father, who passed away in 2005, Ronaldo vows to be the steady presence he lacked.
Speculation swirls: a coaching role with Portugal? A media mogul’s pivot to broadcasting? Or simply beach days in Madeira? Ronaldo demurs, focusing on that elusive 1,000th goal – perhaps against a mid-table Saudi rival or in a farewell international friendly.
Whatever form it takes, his exit will be orchestrated with the same flair that defined his prime.As the world digests this, Ronaldo’s legacy endures: 900-plus club goals, 130 for Portugal, and an ethos of unyielding ambition.
“The pressure of football is unique,” he told Morgan. In retiring “soon,” he honors it by choosing peace. Football, ever cyclical, will mourn the king – but celebrate the man who elevated it to art.