Retirement was also a topic of conversation, although Ronaldo dismissed the possibility when speaking to Canal 11 last October.
“People, especially my family, said, ‘It’s time for you to stop. You’ve done everything. Why do you want to score a thousand goals?’ But I don’t think so,” he said. “I think I can still give good things, I helped my club and the national team, and why not continue? I’m sure that when I stop, I will feel satisfied, because I gave everything. I know I don’t have many years left, but the few years I have left, I will try to enjoy them to the fullest.”
Ronaldo needs just 39 more goals to reach the magic four-figure mark in his career, and it would feel like a tragedy if he doesn’t get there – at least for himself.
The elusive World Cup is still the target, as Portugal will participate in the 2026 event in North America as one of the favorites. Some believe that Ronaldo is an obstacle to his country’s progress, given that he has scored just one goal in his last 10 appearances at major tournaments and often chides his teammates for not looking for him straight away, but Roberto Martinez has firmly dismissed the notion.
“He is a player who, for us, is a finisher. He is the top goalscorer of all time. So, to have a player who has now scored 25 goals in the last 30 games (covering qualifiers, friendlies and the Nations League) for the national team is a blessing,” the Portuguese coach said last month. “This is about the present; we are not talking about what he did 10 years ago. So, for me, his commitment is very important. He is the only player in the world with more than 220 international caps. So, with Cristiano Ronaldo’s experience and the commitment he has… He is an example. And he is a player who inspires the dressing room.”
Imagine the Portugal national team without Ronaldo? They will probably beat other teams easily, with Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes and Joao Neves taking center stage. But who needs smooth-flowing football when you can directly rely on a player who is always confident to pursue victory, even when it seems like there are better options?…
Martinez is right; Ronaldo remains a blessing to the sport, not least because of the publicity he continues to provide. However, whether the continuation of his career is beneficial to anyone other than Ronaldo himself is at least worth debating.
