Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese football star and legend, has revealed that the new season could be his last year playing football.
The 41-year-old hinted his retirement plans in a wide-ranging interview with Vogue Magazine.
Ronaldo got married to his long-time girlfriend Georgina Rodriquez at an intimate civil ceremony in Cascais, Portugal, last weekend.
The ceremony happened on the 10th-year anniversary of the couple’s first meeting.
The ceremony was kept private and reportedly took place in their living room, and Ronaldo said afterwards that he plans on leaving a spectacular legacy peradventure he retires from football at the end of the new season.
“This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy.”
“I have my future all mapped out. I have so many things to keep me busy that to tell you just one thing is hard. Because football could leave a big hole, you have to fill your time in various ways, not just one.”
The goalscoring machine who holds the record as the highest goalscorer ever in football, added that he intends to look away from football after 25 years of sacrifice.
The five-time Ballon D’Or winner stated he would play padel, a racket sport that is a mix of squash, tennis, and racquetball, invented in 1969 but is becoming popular in recent times.
“And [I plan to] also have more fun, travel more, watch and play padel, which I really like, and continue to enjoy what I’ve earned—what we’ve earned.
“Because after all it’s been 25 years with a lot of sacrifice.”
Ronaldo has an estimated net worth between $1.2 billion and $1.4 billion, making him football’s first official billionaire.
His massive fortune is driven by record-breaking playing contracts in Saudi Arabia, a lifetime endorsement deal with Nike, and an expansive global business empire
The striker has won league titles in England, Spain, Italy, and Saudi Arabia, has five UEFA Champions League titles and is the competition’s highest goalscorer.
He also won the UEFA European Championships and Nations League with Portugal national team.
He has 976 total career goals and can officially become the first player to score 1,000 goals with 24 more strikes.
