Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that the 2026–27 season could be the final chapter of his remarkable professional football career, saying he wants to leave behind a “spectacular legacy.”
At 41, Ronaldo has given his clearest indication yet that retirement is approaching. In an interview with Vogue, the Al-Nassr and Portugal captain said, “This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy.”
While Ronaldo has not formally announced a retirement date, his comments suggest that he could walk away from professional football at the end of the current season. His contract with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr is understood to run until 2027, making the timing particularly significant.
The statement comes shortly after Ronaldo featured in his sixth and final FIFA World Cup with Portugal. His country’s campaign ended in the round of 16 against eventual champions Spain, bringing an emotional end to his World Cup journey. Ronaldo had previously confirmed that the 2026 tournament would be his last, although he had stopped short of revealing when he would retire from football altogether.
Now, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner appears to be preparing for life beyond the pitch.
Ronaldo said he already has his future planned and expects to spend more time with his family, travel and enjoy one of his favourite hobbies, padel. He also acknowledged that leaving football could create a significant gap in his life after spending around 25 years at the highest level of the sport.
Before walking away, however, Ronaldo still has another major milestone within reach. He has scored 976 goals for club and country and is targeting the extraordinary mark of 1,000 career goals. That leaves him 24 goals short of the landmark as he enters what could be his final season.
Ronaldo’s career has already produced a remarkable collection of achievements. Since making his senior debut with Sporting CP in 2002, he has played for Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al-Nassr, while becoming Portugal’s all-time leading international goalscorer. He has also won five Champions League titles, five Ballon d’Or awards and major international trophies with Portugal.
For now, Ronaldo remains focused on football. But his latest words suggest that the end of one of the greatest careers in the sport’s history may finally be approaching.
If this is indeed his final season, Ronaldo will have one last opportunity to chase 1,000 goals, add to his legacy and give football fans one final chapter of the career that has defined an era.
