Ronaldo eyes 1,000 career goals: Here's what he said
Cristiano Ronaldo, the all-time leading scorer in football history, is on the brink of reaching 900 career goals for club and country. The Al-Nassr and Portugal star reached 899 career goals on August 27. He has now set his sights even higher, aiming to score a total of 1,000 goals. This ambitious goal was revealed during a recent interview with former England player Rio Ferdinand on his YouTube channel. Here are further details.
Ronaldo's journey to 1,000 goals
Ronaldo expressed his desire to maintain his high level of performance as he continues to build on his scoring record. "I want to reach 1,000 goals," the 39-year-old stated, estimating that he could achieve this milestone by the age of 41. He emphasized the importance of staying injury-free in this pursuit and considers it a significant achievement in football to first reach 900 goals before setting his sights on the 1,000 goal mark.
Ronaldo's unique edge over football legends
In his conversation with Ferdinand, Ronaldo also discussed the quality of play in the Saudi Pro League and his enduring passion for the game. He highlighted a unique aspect that sets his goals apart from those scored by other all-time greats like Pele and Alfredo Di Stefano - video documentation. "All the goals I have scored, they have video," he said, underscoring a key difference between his era and those of previous football legends.
Ronaldo's adaptation to Saudi Arabia and career future
Ronaldo found adapting to playing in Saudi Arabia relatively easy, stating that "no country is perfect, so for me the adaptation was easy and I really love to be there." He praised the quality of the league and addressed criticism he received for crying after missing a crucial penalty against Slovenia in Euro 2024. Despite nearing the end of his illustrious career, Ronaldo remains uncertain about when he will retire.
Decoding Ronaldo's stats
Ronaldo was on the scoresheet in Al-Nassr's 4-1 drubbing of Al Feiha in the Saudi Pro League. This goal marked Ronaldo's 899th career goal, bringing him tantalizingly close to the 900-goal milestone. Ronaldo has 769 career club goals in addition to netting 130 times for Portugal. He owns 4 goals for Al-Nassr this season. Overall, he owns 68 goals for Al-Nassr in 74 games.
