Kathmandu— Cristiano Ronaldo, the highly decorated Portuguese footballer, has strongly suggested he plans to retire at the end of the current season. The 38-year-old forward, who currently plays for Al-Nassr, made the comments in a recent interview with Vogue magazine, reflecting on his illustrious career spanning over two decades and acknowledging the need to prepare for life after football. Having won major trophies with multiple clubs – including Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus – Ronaldo is nearing 1,000 career goals but remains without a World Cup title.

Reflecting on a Storied Career

Ronaldo began his senior career with Sporting in 2002 and quickly rose to prominence as one of the world’s leading goalscorers. He has accumulated five Ballon d’Or awards, recognizing him as the best player globally on multiple occasions. Throughout his time at top European clubs, he consistently delivered exceptional performances and secured numerous league titles and Champions League victories. Despite this success, a World Cup title remains the one major honor missing from his collection; Portugal fell short in their pursuit of the trophy earlier this year.

Preparing for Life After Football

Acknowledging that retirement is on the horizon, Ronaldo spoke about the need to fill the void left by ending his playing career. “This is probably my last year of football and I want to leave a spectacular legacy,” he told Vogue. He expressed a desire to explore other interests and activities, including travel and padel – a racquet sport similar to tennis – as well as enjoying the fruits of his labor after 25 years of dedication and sacrifice. “I have so many things to keep me busy that to tell you just one thing is hard,” he said.

Ronaldo will continue to play for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League this season, aiming to reach the milestone of 1,000 career goals before potentially retiring at its conclusion.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.