Ronaldo Still Targets 1,000 Goals Before Retiring
- Cristiano Ronaldo says 1,000 career goals remains his aim
- He reached 956 with Al Nassr win on Saturday
- He says he will keep playing, aiming for trophies too
Cristiano Ronaldo has reiterated his intention to reach 1,000 career goals before he ends his playing career.
The Portugal captain scored the 956th goal of his career in Al Nassr’s 3-0 win over Al Okhdood on Saturday. He remains the leading scorer in men’s international football, with 141 goals in 223 appearances for Portugal.
Ronaldo, 40, has two years left on his Al Nassr contract and is set to lead Portugal into the 2026 World Cup. Speaking in Dubai on Sunday after being named the Best Middle East Player at the Globe Soccer Awards, he said he still feels driven to continue.
“It’s hard to continue playing, but I am motivated,” Ronaldo said.
“My passion is high and I want to continue. It doesn’t matter where I play, whether in the Middle East or Europe. I always enjoy playing football and I want to keep going.
“You know what my goal is. I want to win trophies and I want to reach that number [1,000 goals] that you all know. I will reach the number for sure, if no injuries.”
Ronaldo’s goal against Al Okhdood took him to 40 goals for the calendar year, marking a third consecutive year at that total and the 14th time he has reached 40 in a year across his career.
He has 12 goals in 10 Saudi Pro League matches this season, matching a personal benchmark from his spell at Juventus. Al Nassr are next in action on Tuesday, away to Al Ettifaq.