Ronaldo drops retirement plan, says he'll probably end his career at Al-Nassr

New Delhi, Aug 27 (IANS) There are not many players in the history of football that have had a career quite like Cristiano Ronaldo. A journey which started in the streets in Madeira is likely to be called curtain upon in Saudi Arabia as confirmed by the Al-Nassr striker.
Ronaldo’s journey has seen him score goals all around the world. After successful stints in Spain, Italy and England, Ronaldo moved to Al-Nassr in January 2023 and has scored 61 goals in 67 games whilst providing 16 assists.
“I don’t know if I will retire soon, in two or three years but probably I will retire at Al Nassr. I’m very happy at this club, and I feel good in this country too, I love playing in Saudi Arabia. I want to continue,” said Ronaldo to Portuguese TV channel NOW
The 39-year-old Portuguese star’s most successful time came for Real Madrid where he attained the status of all-time great. In 438 games, Ronaldo smashed the ball to the back of the net an astonishing 450 times. He is also the all-time leading top scorer internationally.
The Portugal captain was insistent that, despite being one of the best players in football history, he does not want a farewell tour with the national team and it will be a ‘very spontaneous decision’.
“When I leave the national team, I won’t tell anyone beforehand and it will be a very spontaneous decision on my part, but also a well-thought-out one. Right now, what I want most is to help the national team in its upcoming matches. We have the Nations League coming up soon and I would really like to play there,” he added.
In the past, many top players transitioned into coaches, with perhaps the best example being Pep Guardiola, who played for FC Barcelona and went on to become one of the greatest coaches in the game.
In current days, the trend has increased significantly, with Xabi Alonso and Mikel Arteta the prime examples. However, Ronaldo dismissed any talk of him taking a managerial role after retirement.
“In my mind, at the moment, it is not about being a first team coach, or a coach of any team. I don’t see my future being that way. I see myself doing other things outside of football, but only god knows what the future holds,” concluded Ronaldo.
–IANS
aaa/bc