Cristiano Ronaldo has opened up about his future in football and shared what he will miss most when he eventually retires.
At 39 years old, Ronaldo remains one of the greatest footballers of all time, with an impressive 901 career goals to his name. The Portuguese legend has played for top clubs such as Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, while also scoring 132 goals in 214 appearances for Portugal.
Currently, Ronaldo is playing for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, where he has added 62 goals and 17 assists in just 69 games. Despite his continued success, Ronaldo acknowledges that his career is nearing its end. Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, he revealed the aspects of football he will miss most once he hangs up his boots.
“I’m going to miss the adrenaline of scoring a goal and that feeling of being nervous,” Ronaldo admitted. “I think I’ll miss that because in other parts of life, I can control everything. I have good people around me, good businesses, and a lot of great things. But the adrenaline of football, that’s something you can’t replicate.”
Ronaldo also shared that he’s pushing his body to the limit, saying, “I’ll give everything I can, whether it’s until 40 or 41, it doesn’t matter. I’ve dedicated 25 years to football, and physically, I can’t go much further. Age catches up with you.”
Despite his age, Ronaldo shows no signs of slowing down. Over his career, he has won 33 trophies and continues to perform at a high level. Even after a challenging Euro 2024 campaign, where he failed to score for Portugal, Ronaldo remains confident he has more to offer the game.
“This is why I take care of myself and keep working hard,” he said. “I know I can still contribute for another two or three years, but after that, I don’t want to think too far ahead. I’m focusing on the present and preparing for life beyond football.”
He also admitted that transitioning away from football will be difficult. “I’ll miss it, and I’ll probably feel a little lost.”
You can listen to the full interview on Rio Meets Cristiano on Apple Podcasts and Spotify at RioFerdinandPresents.com.
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