‘I Will Be The First One To Go’: Cristiano Ronaldo Reveals His Retirement Plans
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Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has made it clear that he will continue in the Portugal jersey as long as the national team feels he is needed. Ronaldo said that if he feels that he is not contributing to the team or is creating an unnecessary atmosphere in the team, he will be the first to step down.
“Whenever they say they don’t want me in the national team, I will be the first one to go. When I think I am not adding anything to the team, or that I create an atmosphere, I will be the first to go. I will take my suitcase and leave,” Ronaldo told reporters ahead of the Nations League fixture against Wales.
Ronaldo, 41, has refused to talk about his international football future since Portugal's exit from the FIFA World Cup in July after losing to Spain in the pre-quarterfinals. But the player is certain to continue playing for the national team after being named in the first-team squad for Nations League matches of new head coach Jorge Jesus.“The Portuguese count on me. That’s why I’m still here. Just look at the numbers; I’m sure you can make some calculations. I’m still doing well. The day they don’t count on me, no problemo, I will leave. I will always be the No. 1 fan of this federation,” he stated. The Portuguese forward also admitted that he considered announcing the retirement after the FIFA World Cup 2026. “Yes, I did. Of course, I’m always thinking about my decisions, my future, and the present also. I’m a thinker; you have to think. This is why you see me here now; it means I will continue,” he said.
Ronaldo inching towards 1000 goal mark
Ronaldo, who has now scored 979 goals for club and international football, is just 21 goals away from reaching the historic 1,000-goal mark. Ronaldo said that scoring his 1,000th goal for his national team would be the culmination of a beautiful story, but he said he was not overly concerned about it. The player added that the match against Wales will be played at Sporting's Jose Alvalade stadium, where he started his career.
