Football legend Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that his retirement from professional football is approaching “soon,” describing the decision as “very difficult” but one he has been preparing for most of his life. In an interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored, the 40-year-old Al Nassr forward explained that he has been planning for life beyond football since his mid-20s.
“Soon,” Ronaldo said when asked about retirement. “I think I will be prepared. It will be very, very difficult. But I’ve prepared my future since I was 25. Nothing will compare to the adrenaline of scoring a goal, but everything has a beginning and everything has an end.” He added that he is looking forward to spending more time with his family, saying, “I’m going to have more time for myself, for my family, to raise my kids.”
Despite leaving Manchester United three years ago, Ronaldo admitted he still follows the club closely. “I’m sad, because the club is one of the most important in the world and one that I still have in my heart,” he said, criticizing the club’s current structure and expressing hope for improvement after a historically poor season.
Ronaldo also reflected on the emotional nature of his final game. “I will probably cry. I’ve been preparing for this since I was 25,” he said. While wealth and fame once motivated him, he now finds joy in playing, training, and competing. Addressing perceptions of arrogance, Ronaldo added, “People say I’m arrogant, but I don’t care anymore. I just want to do what I love—enjoy football, training, and competition.”
Ronaldo’s football career began at Sporting CP in 2002 before moving to Manchester United in 2003, where he won multiple Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League trophy.
At Real Madrid, he became the club’s all-time leading scorer with 450 goals in 438 appearances, securing four Champions League titles. Subsequent stints at Juventus and Al Nassr further cemented his legacy.
Internationally, Ronaldo holds the record for most goals in men’s football, scoring 143 times in 225 appearances for Portugal and leading them to victory in the 2016 UEFA European Championship and the 2019 and 2025 UEFA Nations League. Across his career, he has scored 952 official goals and aims to reach the unprecedented milestone of 1,000 goals.
