Cristiano Ronaldo, the 41-year-old football star, said the upcoming 2026-27 season will probably be his last as a player. He gave this indication in an interview published on August 16, 2026, in Vogue magazine, shortly after marrying longtime partner Georgina Rodríguez on August 11 in Cascais, Portugal [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7].
Ronaldo is currently contracted to Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr until June 2027 and intends to complete this season [1, 2, 4, 5, 6]. In the interview, he said, “This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy” [1]. He has played professionally for 25 years since his 2002 senior debut with Sporting CP [1, 8, 4, 7].
He has scored approximately 976 to 1,020 career goals across club and country and is aiming to reach 1,000 before retiring [1, 2, 9, 7]. Ronaldo has won five Ballon d’Or awards and league titles in England, Spain, Italy, and Saudi Arabia [1, 2, 3, 6].
Ronaldo’s Portugal team exited the 2026 World Cup after a 1-0 loss to Spain in the Round of 16 in July 2026, leaving him without a World Cup title [1, 2, 7]. He had previously said in late 2025 that he expected to play “one or two more years” before retiring [4, 5, 10].
Ronaldo plans to spend his post-football years focusing on family, travel, and playing padel, a sport he enjoys. He said, “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. Because football could leave a big hole, you have to fill your time in various ways, not just one.” He added, “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” [2, 4].
The Saudi Pro League 2026-27 season is projected to end around May 28, 2027, which could mark Ronaldo’s final professional match if he retires then [7, 11].
