After netting a crucial goal in Al Nassr’s victory over Damac in the Saudi Pro League, Portugal’s captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, dropped a significant hint about his potential retirement date.

 

Cristiano Ronaldo showcased his scoring prowess on Saturday, securing a come-from-behind win for Al Nassr against Damac in the Saudi Pro League. However, the former Real Madrid superstar openly admitted after the match that he’s unlikely to continue playing for too much longer.

“I’ll play for the rest of this season and the next one. After that, I’ll have to see if my body can keep going or not,” the Portuguese told the media.

 

Nonetheless, there’s no indication that he plans to finish his career anywhere other than at Al Nassr. Ronaldo expressed his gratitude, saying, “The fans make me happy, and I make them happy. I’m 38 years old, and I’m still helping the team; I’m still useful. I have to be grateful for that. What helped me reach the peak of my career was hard work, but without my team, none of that would’ve been possible.”

 

As for the specifics of Ronaldo’s Al Nassr contract, he became the first high-profile player to make the move to Saudi Arabia in early 2023, reportedly signing a seven-year deal with Al Nassr. However, the playing aspect of the agreement spans two and a half years until the summer of 2025 (the end of the next season), by which time he will be 40. The plan beyond that is for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner to assume a sports advisory role.

 

Portugal’s captain continues to be prolific in Saudi Arabia, having scored 14 times in 19 appearances across all competitions for the Saudi Pro League club last season. In the 2023-24 season, he has already netted 12 goals in 12 outings, including 11 in nine league matches.

Saturday’s victory propelled Al Nassr to third place in the table, positioning them four points behind leaders Al Hilal, who will be without Neymar for the remainder of the season.