Cristiano Ronaldo drops huge retirement hint after naming new top priority
Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted that retirement is on the horizon after admitting that his priority is no longer winning awards for being the best player.
And the former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar claimed his focus now is on being a team player first after years of individual domination.
Speaking after scoring his latest goal for Al Nassr, against Al Rayyan in the AFC Champions League, Ronaldo, 39, said: “I’m just enjoying playing football now as I know I don’t have much time left on the pitch. It is not important to me now to be the best player or to win awards. What is important to me now is to enjoy and help my team.”
Ronaldo last month scored the 900th goal of his career. He continues to play a leading role for Portugal but his Al Nassr contract expires next summer.
It is unclear if he will pen a new deal or seek a move elsewhere. He also recently opened on what he will miss about football when the time comes to hang up the boots but insisted that he will keep going for as long he is physically capable.
In a podcast appearance with former Old Trafford team-mate Rio Ferdinand, Ronaldo said: “I’m going to miss the adrenaline of scoring a goal, and [the feeling] of being nervous.
“I think I’m going to miss that because in other part of me, I can control that. I have good people around me, good business, I have good things. But I [will miss that] the adrenaline of football is never going to exist [again]. This is why I’m going further than football.
