By Adegboyega Adeleye
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has reaffirmed his commitment to playing football, as he says he will not retire until he scores his 1,000th career goal.
The 40-year-old scored a brace in Al-Nassr’s 3-0 win against Al Akhdoud on Saturday to take his tally for club and country to 956 goals. The goals ensured Ronaldo reached 40 goals for the calendar year for the third consecutive year and for the 14th time in his career.
He also holds the record for the most goals in international football with 141 in 223 games for Portugal.
Speaking after being named the Best Middle East Player at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai on Sunday, Ronaldo said, “It’s hard to continue playing, but I am motivated.
“My passion is high, and I want to continue. It doesn’t matter where I play, whether in the Middle East or Europe. I always enjoy playing football, and I want to keep going.
“You know what my goal is. I want to win trophies, and I want to reach that number [1,000 goals] that you all know. I will reach the number for sure, if no injuries.”
The forward, who joined Al-Nassr in 2022, signed a new two-year deal with the Saudi Arabian club last July that takes him beyond his 42nd birthday.
Ronaldo has scored 13 goals in 14 appearances this season for Al-Nassr (scoring 12 in 10 Saudi Pro League games) so far this term to equal a personal record from his time at Juventus. His goal record has helped Al-Nassr this season, as they currently sit four points clear at the top of the Saudi Pro League table.
Despite the forward’s record of 112 goals in 125 appearances, Al-Nassr have only won one piece of silverware – the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023 – since his arrival.
Ronaldo holds the record for most goals for Portugal (143) and Real Madrid (450) and is the only player to have scored 100+ goals for four clubs – Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al-Nassr.
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