Cristiano Ronaldo contemplates retirement, dismisses Manchester United return rumors
Cristiano Ronaldo, the iconic Portuguese footballer currently playing for Al Nassr, has hinted at his retirement from professional football within the next two to three years. In a recent interview with NOW, as reported by Fabrizio Romano, he expressed his satisfaction with Al Nassr and stated that he is likely to end his career there. This statement comes amid ongoing speculation about a potential return to his former club, Manchester United.
Ronaldo quashes rumors of Manchester United return
Rumors have been circulating about Ronaldo's potential return to Manchester United, especially following his controversial departure from the club in 2022. However, the 39-year-old footballer has dismissed these rumors. He stated, "I don't know if I will retire soon, in two or three years... but probably I will retire here at Al Nassr." This statement puts an end to any speculation about a possible reunion with his former team.
Ronaldo's journey and achievements with Al Nassr
Ronaldo moved to the Saudi Pro League in December 2022, a move that marked a significant shift in his career. Despite not winning any major titles with Al Nassr, he has achieved personal success by scoring his 50th goal for the club. Ronaldo has won a solitary title with Al Nassr, the Arab Club Champions Cup, which isn't recognized as an official title by AFC or FIFA. He is also on the verge of completing 900 goals.
Top scorer of 2023/24 Saudi Pro League
Ronaldo finished with 35 goals in the Saudi Pro League 2023/24 season, from 31 matches. He was the league's top scorer with Aleksandar Mitrovic of Al-Hilal following suit (28 goals). In terms of assists, Ronaldo was the third-best (11) after Al-Ahli's Riyad Mahrez (13) and Al-Hilal's Ruben Neves (12). Ronaldo smashed the most number of hat-tricks as well (4).
Third-fastest to this mark
Earlier this month, Ronaldo kicked off his Saudi Pro League campaign with a spectacular header, marking his 50th goal in the tournament. He achieved this feat in just 49 matches, trailing only behind Omar Al Somah and Abderrazak Hamdallah, who hold the record for being the league's top two all-time highest scorers.
Ronaldo's journey in club football
Ronaldo started his club football journey in the 2002/03 season, with Sporting CP. In a career spanning over two decades, Ronaldo has also featured for renowned clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and now Al-Nassr. Overall, he has scored 768 goals in a record 1,024 appearances in his club career. As many as 450 of his goals came for Real Madrid.
