Cristiano Ronaldo has given his strongest signal yet that his playing days are nearing an end, telling Vogue in an interview published on Sunday, that this coming season is “probably” his last in football.
“This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy,” the 41-year-old said, in comments that marked a noticeably firmer tone than his previous, more open-ended retirement talk.
The revelation came not in a press conference or post-match interview, but in a far more personal setting, a conversation about life away from the pitch, following his recent marriage to longtime partner Georgina Rodríguez.
The couple wed in an intimate ceremony in Cascais, Portugal, on August 11, marking exactly ten years since they first met. For a player who has spent more than two decades living under relentless public scrutiny, the milestone appears to have prompted a rare moment of reflection on what comes next.
It’s a significant shift from where Ronaldo stood just months ago. Last November, he suggested he had “one or two years” left in the game, while confirming that this summer’s World Cup would be his final appearance at the tournament.
That farewell arrived with mixed emotions: Ronaldo scored three goals in Canada, Mexico and the United States, but saw Portugal’s run end in the round of 16 against eventual champions Spain.
Off the pitch, Ronaldo has already begun mapping out life after football, describing plans to travel more and spend time on personal pursuits like padel, alongside a business career that has grown alongside his playing one.
His contract with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr runs until June 2027, meaning a retirement at the end of this season would align neatly with its expiry. Whether Sunday’s comments prove to be the final word remains to be seen; Ronaldo has hinted at the end before, but for now, football’s most prolific goalscorer appears to be preparing to say goodbye.
