Cristiano Ronaldo bin think about retiring from international football after di World Cup, but di Portugal captain later decide to continue im career. Di 41-year-old believe say he still fit help Portugal reach more success, and he still get eye on 1,000 career goals.
Ronaldo don already confam in di summer say di 2026 World Cup go be im last, even though wetin go happen next for im long-term future no clear. But Jorge Jesus include am for Portugal 25-man squad for di Nations League campaign wey start against Wales for Lisbon on Thursday night.
Before di game against Craig Bellamy side, di Al-Nassr forward talk say he need 21 goals to reach di 1,000 mark. Dem ask am if he consider retiring from international duty after di World Cup, and Ronaldo answer: ‘Yes, I did. Of course, I dey always think about my decisions, my future, and di present too. I be thinker, you gatz think.’
Di former Sporting, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus player talk say: ‘I get conversation with our president, with our coach. I still believe say I fit help di national team reach wetin dem want. I think I fit give di national team my support, no be only through goals, but outside football too.’
Ronaldo na two-time Nations League winner with Portugal, and he talk say adding a third title also dey among im aims, alongside im personal ambition. ‘Both aims important,’ he talk. ‘One thousand goals, yes, and di national team. Winning di Nations League, di competition starts tomorrow, na new age.’
Portugal versus Wales Nations League Group A4 game dey Thursday, 24 September, 19:45 BST for Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon. Live coverage dey on BBC iPlayer, BBC One Wales, BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Wales, Radio Cymru and 5 Live, BBC Sport website and app, plus live text commentary.
Young talents like Fabio Silva, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves and Francisco Conceicao all dey inside Portugal squad for dis international window. Ronaldo joke say he go play on for another decade, and he talk say helping di country newest talents na one big factor why he decide to continue represent Portugal.
‘Dis na new young generation. But for me di basic point na to dey on di pitch to score goals and help di team win games,’ he talk. ‘For me, di most important thing, I know wetin I be. I know wetin I dey do to be here, to get di success wey I get. I know why young kids love Cristiano, because dem see me as example, and I go continue to do that. Even when I don retire. In 10 years!’
He add: ‘I happy with myself. E no matter if I play tomorrow, if I rest di next game. For me, di most important thing na say I feel good.’
Speaking for news conference inside Lisbon, Portugal boss Jesus describe Ronaldo as ‘symbol of Portugal and di national team’. E come after di five-time Ballon d'Or winner address di criticism he don face throughout im career, especially during im time with some of di great clubs for England, Spain and Italy.
‘Dis [Portugal] na possibly where I don feel most cared,’ Ronaldo talk. ‘From di fans, I also feel di Portuguese like me. I understand say some TV channels like to criticise me, dem don try kill me with shotgun, but I still fit move away from am. Anyway, I don used to am. For over 20 years I don dey do dis, but my memories dey with people wey love me.’
For anoda report, Ronaldo consider retiring from international football after di World Cup before he decide to extend im Portugal career. Ronaldo, wey go turn 42 in February, go win im 234th cap against Wales for Lisbon on Thursday, and Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus confam say di former Manchester United and Real Madrid man go start di Nations League fixture.
Some commentators suggest say di game for Jose Alvalade Stadium, home of Ronaldo first club Sporting, fit be im international farewell. But di five-time Ballon d’Or winner talk say he go finish when ‘I feel like I’m not doing anything here’. Age seem to catch up with Ronaldo dis summer during World Cup when many of di game greatest stars shine for di biggest stage, and dat lead to speculation say im international career don run im course.
Dem ask am if he consider leaving Portugal after di World Cup, and Ronaldo talk: ‘Yes I did. Of course, I dey always think on my decisions, my future, di present too. I be thinker. You gatz think. Na why you see me here now. E mean I go continue. I get conversation with our president, with our coach. I still believe say I fit help di national team reach wetin dem want, and I go finish when I feel like I no dey do anything here.’
He continue: ‘I fit give di national team my support, no be only through goals, but outside football too. Dis na new young generation. But for me di basic point na to be able on di pitch to score goals and help di team win games.’
Leading Portuguese newspaper A Bola run poll before di Wales game, invite readers to select dia team, and Ronaldo no make di starting XI. Ronaldo talk: ‘I don talk am quite often for home with my friends. I don dey play football for so many years, dem welcome me almost everywhere, apart from few exceptions. I feel di Portuguese fans like me, but I understand say some TV channels want criticise me. Dem dey die for me not to come to di national team anymore, but I still fit move away from am. Anyway, I don used to am. For over 20 years I don dey do dis, but my memories dey with people wey love me.’
Ronaldo, wey dey play for Al Nassr for Saudi Arabia, currently get 979 career goals. He deny say he dey obsessed with reaching 1,000 goals, although he add say he go love to reach di landmark for Portugal colours. ‘Scoring my 1,000th goal for di national team go be di culmination of something, a beautiful story,’ he talk. ‘E no go be di end of it, but e go be beautiful story. I don already admit say I want reach there, and I go reach there. Obsession? No. Di rest na about enjoying am, enjoying every day.’
Craig Bellamy believe say Cristiano Ronaldo name go remain for football history for ‘hundreds and hundreds of years’ as im Wales side prepare for Portugal for dia Nations League opener. Portugal boss Jorge Jesus don confam say 41-year-old Ronaldo go start for Jose Alvalade Stadium for Lisbon on Thursday night, win im 234th cap and seek to add to im 146 international goals.
‘Seriously? Who dey get a thousand goals? We no dey count youth football or anything,’ Bellamy talk. ‘E just silly and I hope he get am. But I hope he get nothing against us. Di type of impact on di game wey he don sustain, for am to still keep going, you just get to sit in awe. Na di honest truth, di guy incredible. He don adapt im game of course, but he dey most dangerous when he no dey inside di game. You never fit sleep on di pitch with dis guy. We dey talk about one of di greatest players of all generations, no be only dis generation, of all generations. Im name go down in history for hundreds and hundreds of years. Na di impact he don get.’
Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus call Cristiano Ronaldo ‘a symbol of Portugal’ while he confam say di captain go start against Wales for dia UEFA Nations League opener. Speaking for Portugal Football Summit, di manager highlight Ronaldo immense global impact while he maintain say selection remain performance-driven.
