Cristiano Ronaldo Reveals When He'll Hang Up His Boots as European Comeback Rumors Swirl

Cristiano Ronaldo has vowed not to hang up his boots until he reaches the milestone of 1,000 career goals, declaring his determination to "continue playing" wherever his burning ambition leads him.

The relentless striker has netted 956 times across club and international football. Even as he approaches his 41st birthday this February, Ronaldo's scoring pace remains remarkable: 2025 marked the 14th calendar year of his career delivering at least 40 goals.

If Ronaldo achieves that benchmark again in 2026—a year that will include his historic sixth World Cup appearance—the four-figure milestone will be within reach.

"Continuing to play is challenging, but my motivation remains strong," Ronaldo stated while receiving the 2025 Globe Soccer Award for Best Middle East Player this weekend. "My enthusiasm is intense and I wish to carry on. The location doesn't matter, be it the Middle East or Europe. Football brings me joy and I intend to persist.

"You understand my objective. I aim to capture titles and achieve that figure [1,000 goals] you're all aware of. I will definitely reach that number, barring any injuries."

On X, Ronaldo was moved to share: "A meaningful way to conclude the year. I proceed with identical passion, dedication and drive as ever to accomplish my objectives. Gratitude to all who have backed me this year!"

Ronaldo's Al Nassr deal runs until summer 2027, when he'll be 42 and potentially holding an unmatched goal record.

Has Any Player Ever Scored 1,000 Goals?

Ronaldo isn't the first to pursue 1,000 goals. Brazilian legend Pelé famously reached this milestone in 1969, though he didn't always appear eager to achieve it.

After scoring a penalty against modest Botafogo da Paraiba to reach 999 goals, Pelé had to play goalkeeper when Santos's keeper fell mysteriously ill. The 20,000 spectators packed into João Pessoa felt cheated of witnessing history, many suspecting Pelé reserved his historic moment for Santos's upcoming match against Vasco da Gama in Rio de Janeiro.

The three-time World Cup champion would indeed score against Vasco five days later, celebrating what was then widely recognized as his 1,000th goal. However, it later emerged that a Pelé strike for Brazil's military team against Paraguay in 1959 had been omitted from records, meaning his landmark goal actually occurred in João Pessoa against Botafogo.

Still, controversy surrounding Pelé's official count persisted.

As Diego Maradona teased his longtime rival on his chat show after both retired: "Who did you score them against, your nephews in the back yard?"

Santos played numerous friendlies to capitalize on Pelé's stardom, making many goals unofficial by today's standards. Respected soccer statistics organization IFFHS credits 'The King' with only 762 legitimate goals. Even with these retroactive restrictions, only Lionel Messi (896) and Ronaldo surpass the Brazilian legend.

All Time Top Scorers in Soccer History

Statistics courtesy of IFFHS.

Ronaldo's Post-Retirement Plans

What follows after the 1,000th? For Pelé—using his own statistics—he accumulated another 289 goals before retiring in 1977 and beginning a varied post-playing journey spanning Hollywood to Brazilian politics.

The icon also endorsed various products through extensive advertising campaigns that Ronaldo has long embraced. "It will be extremely challenging but I've planned my future since [age] 25, 26, 27," Ronaldo told Piers Morgan earlier this year about retirement. "So I believe I'll handle that pressure.

"Nothing matches the rush we get from football when scoring. But I have other interests. [Upon retiring] I'll have more personal time, more family time, to nurture my children. I want to be more family-oriented, more present. Also, to pursue my hobbies. I enjoy watching UFC fights. I like padel. I want to learn more about my businesses.

"I'll never become a [full-time] YouTuber, naturally, but I want involvement there. I'll invest more time learning. I think I'll do entertaining things I haven't done before. Because I live football 24/7 to maintain standards and perform."