Ronaldo sends strong retirement message
Robin Bairner
- 23 Oct 2023 13:45 BST
- 3 min read
Cristiano Ronaldo dropped a rare hint that he is considering retirement from professional football.
The Al-Nassr forward was on target against Damac in a Saudi Pro League encounter at the weekend via a superb free kick that proved the winner for his side in a 2-1 victory.
Now 38, Ronaldo continues to be prolific at the club he joined a year ago from Manchester United, netting 32 times in 37 matches for the outfit.
He has, however, dropped a timeline to potentially hang up his boots, indicating that he could decide to retire when his current contract with Al-Nassr expires in the summer of 2025.
Speaking to the media after the weekend’s game, he said: “I will continue to play this season and next as I always have, with maximum effort and commitment. Then I will try to understand my body's signals to see if I can continue or not.
“I am 38 years old and I continue to help and be useful to the team, it makes me happy. I have to be grateful for that. It is thanks to my hard work that I reached the highest level, but without my team, none of this would have been possible.”
Cristiano Ronaldo’s free kick from last night is even better from this angle. 🤯
pic.twitter.com/3dFt50Locf— TC (@totalcristiano) October 22, 2023
Ronaldo's popularity fading?
Ronaldo received a blow last week when it was revealed that his move to the Saudi Pro League has seen his marketability plummet.
Indeed, he is now regarded as only the 27th most marketable sports personality – with long-time rival Lionel Messi taking top spot ahead of LeBron James and Alex Morgan. Other footballers in the top 10 include Megan Rapinoe and Kylian Mbappe, who were ranked fifth and ninth respectively.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo has committed himself to playing at Euro 2024 with Portugal but is offering no guarantees that he will still be playing by the time that the 2026 World Cup rolls around.
