When the time comes, I'll move on - Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo, the legendary Portuguese footballer, has stated that he does not plan to retire from international football just yet, but he acknowledges that the decision will be straightforward when the time comes.
At 39 years old, Ronaldo holds the record for the most caps and goals in men's international football history, with 130 goals in 212 appearances. He is part of the Portugal squad for the upcoming Nations League matches against Croatia and Scotland.
Ronaldo enters these fixtures following a disappointing Euro 2024 campaign, where he failed to score and faced criticism for his performance, with some suggesting he hindered the team's progress.
Currently playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo commented, "When the time comes, I'll move on. It won't be a difficult decision to make. If I feel like I'm no longer contributing anything, I'll be the first to leave."
Despite the criticism following Euro 2024, Ronaldo has "never considered leaving the national team." He and team-mate Pepe, who is 41, were the oldest players at the tournament. Pepe has since retired, a decision Ronaldo described as having "left through the front door."
Ronaldo mentioned that people's expectations of the national team were excessively high after their quarter-final exit to France on penalties. He added, "I don't know if I will retire soon, in two or three years, but probably I will retire here at Al-Nassr. When I leave the national team, I won't tell anyone in advance and it will be a very spontaneous decision on my part, but also a very well thought-out one."