Rabat, 5 NOV 

Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that he is close to retiring from professional football in a recent interview with journalist Piers Morgan.

The Portuguese star said the moment will be tough and emotional, but he is ready for it. “I will probably cry,” Ronaldo admitted. “I’ve been preparing for this since I was 25.”

Ronaldo, now 40 years old, plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia and remains a key figure for the Portuguese national team. 

He said that while money and fame were once important, they no longer define his happiness. “Being the first football billionaire is great,” he said, “but now I just want to enjoy playing, training, and competing.” He also addressed criticism about his personality, saying, “People say I’m arrogant, but I don’t care anymore. I just want to do what I love. I don’t care about public opinion. All I want is to enjoy football, training, and competition, that’s what truly matters to me.”

Ronaldo began his professional career in 2002 with Sporting CP in Portugal. He quickly moved to Manchester United in 2003, where he won multiple Premier League titles and the Champions League.  In 2009, Cristiano Ronaldo joined Real Madrid from Manchester United and went on to become the club’s all-time leading scorer. 

During his nine seasons in Madrid, he scored 450 goals in 438 matches, winning four Champions League titles and multiple domestic honours.

For Portugal, Ronaldo has netted 143 goals in 225 international appearances, making him the highest-scoring player in men’s international football history.