Needing just one goal to reach 900 in his career for club and country, all-time leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo said he is setting the bar at 1,000 to unquestionably leave his mark on the game.
In a sit-down interview with former England star Rio Ferdinand released to his YouTube channel, the 39-year-old Ronaldo spoke about keeping his level of play high as he builds on his scoring record.
“I want to reach 1,000 goals,” said the Al Nassr and Portugal star, estimating that the historic mark could come around the age of 41. “If I don’t have any injuries, this for me is the most important [thing], I want that. For me, the best mark that I can have in football is to reach, first, 900 goals. After, my challenge is to be at 1,000 goals.”
Ronaldo spoke candidly with Ferdinand, his former Manchester United teammate, on topics ranging from the quality of play in the Saudi Pro League to the passion he has maintained and the criticism that stems from it.
Ever competitive, Ronaldo was quick to point out what would set his goals apart from those by other all-time scorers, including legends such as Pele and Alfredo Di Stefano, who played in eras when cameras weren’t as prevalent.
“All the goals I have scored, they have video,” he said. “They all have video. Listen, I respect all of them [Pele and Di Stefano]. And if you want more goals, I can bring them from training, too. And I will prove to the people after. They prefer this player, or this is the best one. I don’t care about that.”
Asked about adapting to playing in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo said it’s been relatively easy given the challenges he has endured since entering the spotlight at a young age.
“No country is perfect, so for me the adaptation was easy and I really love to be there,” he said. “In my opinion, the league is very, very good.”
As for the criticism he received for crying after missing a crucial penalty against Slovenia with a trip to the Euro 2024 quarterfinals on the line, Ronaldo said it’s all part of the scrutiny that comes with being “the most followed guy in the world.” Portugal would win the match in a shootout 3-0.
The tears, he said, were the result of the pressure he has put on himself since he was 11 years old.
“When you have passion for what you’re doing, you cannot be worried about how you’re feeling,” he said. “I failed because I’ve made pressure for myself since I was 11 years old. ‘Cristiano, you are the best player in the world,’ I’m always thinking in that way.
But when I missed the penalty, I felt bad with myself, the fans, family, not because of other stuff that people say.
Though he realizes he is close to the end of his career, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner could not predict when he will finally hang up his boots.
“I don’t know when I’m going to finish,” he said. “Since you play more, you learn many, many things. One thing that I’ve learned is, enjoy the moment. Because you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. I know I’m still looking good. The day that I start to feel I don’t produce nothing, listen, I’ll pack my bags and I’ll go away. But it’s far from that.”
