Cristiano Ronaldo made retirement decision days before wedding to Georgina Rodriguez
Cristiano Ronaldo made retirement decision days before wedding to Georgina Rodriguez
Tom MalleySun, August 16, 2026 at 4:45 PM UTC
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Cristiano Ronaldo has declared that this season will likely be his last in professional football -Credit:Reach Publishing Services Limited
Cristiano Ronaldo conceded that the upcoming 2026-27 campaign is "probably my last year of football" just days before he married long-term partner Georgina Rodriguez.
Ronaldo, 41, finally tied the knot with the mother of four of his five children on Tuesday, August 11, choosing that date to mark the 10th anniversary of their meeting at a Gucci store in Madrid, when he was still playing for the city's La Liga giants, Real Madrid.
Following Portugal's Round of 16 exit to eventual champions Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer, many fans believed it could be the final time Ronaldo plays on soccer's biggest stage, and now that would appear to be true, following a major confession from the man himself.
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Speaking to Vogue five days out from his and Rodriguez's wedding, Ronaldo discussed the couple's future once they were finally married, revealing that he expects the upcoming campaign, which his team - Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr - kicked off on Saturday, to be his last.
"This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy," Ronaldo said, before going on to admit that he's looking forward to spending more time with his family.
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"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," he continued. "Because football could leave a big hole, you have to fill your time in various ways, not just one.
Ronaldo and Rodriguez tied the knot earlier this week -Credit:Instagram
"And also have more fun, travel more, watch and play padel, which I really like, and continue to enjoy what I've earned - what we've earned. Because after all, it's been 25 years with a lot of sacrifice."
Just days after marrying Rodriguez, Ronaldo returned to Riyadh to report for the new season, sacrificing any honeymoon for the couple, with footage posted by Al-Nassr showing the two-time Manchester United player being welcomed back to training by new boss Ange Postecoglou.
The Aussie congratulated Ronaldo, who turned up to training in his wedding ring, in front of his teammates, though the five-time Ballon d'Or winner played no part in Saturday's 3-0 victory over Al-Fateh in the club's Saudi Pro League season opener.
Ronaldo did, however, watch from the stands alongside his family, and it remains to be seen whether he will be part of the matchday squad for Tuesday's King's Cup tie with Al-Diriyah.
Ronaldo and his family watched on from the stands as Al-Nassr kicked off the new Saudi Pro League campaign on Saturday
Since signing for Al-Nassr in January 2023, Ronaldo has played 142 times, scoring a remarkable 123 goals and adding two more trophies to his stacked honors list.
Heading into the new campaign, the Portuguese superstar is on 976 career goals (830 for his various club sides and a staggering 146 for his country), leaving him needing just 24 to become the first player ever to reach 1,000.
Given he has scored at least 30 in his three full seasons with the Saudi giants, there is a high expectation that Ronaldo, despite his age, will achieve that feat over the next nine months, providing him with the perfect career ending.
Source: “AOL Sports”
