His football retirement will be accompanied by tears, the Portuguese top footballer, now 40, said in an interview with Piers Morgan, a journalist friend with whom he gave a controversial interview three years ago just before the start of the World Cup in Qatar. That led to his departure from Manchester United.
Not much later, Ronaldo signed a mega contract with the Saudi Al-Nassr, making him the highest-paid footballer of all time. Next year he wants to shine one more time at the World Cup with Portugal.
“My retirement? That will follow soon. But I think I am prepared for it,” he said. “Of course that will be difficult. There will probably be tears. I don’t hide my feelings. I have been preparing my life after football since I was 25, 26 or 27 years old. I think I will be able to deal with it.”
“Nothing can match the adrenaline you feel when you score a goal,” Ronaldo continued. “But everything has a beginning and everything has an end. I have other passions. I’m going to have more time for myself, I’m going to have more time for my family to raise my children.
Like father, like son: Cristiano Ronaldo Jr. (15) makes his debut for Portugal under 16
Ronaldo: “I want to follow Cristiano Junior, because he is at an age when children do stupid things. I was the same way. Mateo also likes football. I want to do more fun things. I like playing padel with my best friends. We are getting better at it.”
Ronaldo played football for Sporting in Lisbon, for Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus. After a second shorter period in Manchester, he left for Saudi Arabia at the end of 2022.