Cristiano Ronaldo has suggested that the 2026-27 season will most likely be his last as a professional footballer. Marking an end to what has been one of the most decorated careers in the history of the sport.
The 41-year-old made the admission in an interview with Vogue, conducted in the context of his wedding to Georgina Rodriguez, which took place on Tuesday. He spoke with a clarity and calm that suggested the decision has been building for some time.
“This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy,” he said.
Ronaldo described a future already taking shape in his mind.
“I have my future all mapped out. I have so many things to keep me busy that to tell you just one thing is hard. Because football could leave a big hole, you have to fill your time in various ways, not just one.”
He mentioned travel, padel, time with his family, and the freedom that comes after 25 years of professional sacrifice.
“After all it’s been 25 years with a lot of sacrifice,” he said.
Staggering Numbers
The numbers behind that sacrifice are extraordinary. A five-time Ballon d’Or winner. Five Champions League titles. League titles in England, Spain, Italy, and Saudi Arabia. The all-time top scorer in men’s international football. He currently sits 24 goals short of 1,000 senior career goals, a milestone that could yet arrive in his final season at Al-Nassr. Ronaldo did not feature in Al-Nassr’s Saudi Pro League title defence opener against Al Fateh on Saturday, but he was in the stands watching the champions win alongside his family.
The World Cup earlier this summer offered a contrast that will linger. Lionel Messi scored eight goals and carried Argentina to the final. Ronaldo’s Portugal were eliminated in the round of 16. When asked in July whether that would be his last World Cup, Ronaldo said he would decide with “a calm head” after a conversation with his family. That conversation, it seems, has now happened.
Messi, who holds the record for Ballon d’Or wins with eight, has also spoken recently about uncertainty over how much longer he will continue. The game that defined an era through their rivalry is quietly preparing to move past both of them.
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