Cristiano Ronaldo Says 2026-27 Will Probably Be His Last Season in Soccer

Cristiano Ronaldo has just put a date on something many fans didn't even want to imagine. In an interview with Vogue magazine, the Portuguese star hinted that this season, the 2026-27 Saudi Pro League campaign, will probably be the last of his professional soccer career. At 41, with his Al-Nassr contract set to expire in June, Ronaldo appears to have already decided when he'll bring down the curtain.

"This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy," the Portuguese forward said. And this wasn't just an offhand remark: it comes right as he begins his 25th season as a professional, a journey that started in the mid 2000s at Sporting Lisbon and took him through Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and, since December 2022, Riyadh.

Ronaldo's numbers speak for themselves: 976 goals across his entire career, five Ballon d'Or awards and five Champions League titles. Last season, already at Al-Nassr, he scored 28 goals in the Saudi league and was instrumental in the club's title win in May, its first championship since he arrived in Saudi Arabia and Al-Nassr's first since 2019.

Off the field, there was also big news this month: Ronaldo married his longtime partner, Georgina Rodriguez. The event appears to have shifted his schedule, as he missed the first match of the title defense following the wedding, a 3-0 win for Al-Nassr over Al-Fateh on Saturday, which he watched from the sidelines.

A Future Already Planned

What's interesting is that Ronaldo doesn't talk about retirement like someone afraid of the void. Quite the opposite. "I have my future fully planned," he explained. "I have so many things to keep me busy that it's hard to name just one. Because football could leave a big void, you have to fill your time in various ways, not just one. And also have more fun, travel more, watch and play padel, which I really enjoy, and keep enjoying what I've earned, what we've earned. Because after all, it's been 25 years with a lot of sacrifice."

His coach, Ange Postecoglou, formerly of Tottenham and Nottingham Forest, didn't hesitate to back him after the win over Al-Fateh: "Cristiano is here today, and he's always present with us." The manager also kept things grounded looking ahead, with Ronaldo a doubt for Tuesday's Copa del Rey match against Al-Diriyah: "The most important thing right now is recovery, especially since we only have two days after this match."

Ronaldo's announcement comes just days after his longtime rival, Lionel Messi, 39, revealed that following his father's death he too could be close to hanging up his boots. "I don't know how to move forward," Messi admitted. "Before, I just played soccer, and now I'm really not sure if I'm going to keep doing it for much longer." Two legends, two announcements landing almost together, and a generation of soccer beginning to look its ending in the eye.