Cristiano Ronaldo, after a dazzling performance against Poland, revealed his retirement plans, hinting at having just a year or two remaining in his professional career. Ronaldo, who recently became the first player to score over 900 goals in professional football, continues to amaze fans with his goal-scoring prowess. Despite disappointing exits in the 2022 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2024, where Portugal’s national team fell short despite being well-balanced, Ronaldo’s determination has not wavered.
During the UEFA Nations League match against Poland, Ronaldo netted twice, including a spectacular overhead kick, contributing to Portugal’s 5-1 victory. His hunger for goals remains undiminished, as demonstrated by his recent performance. In a post-match interview, Ronaldo shared his thoughts on retirement, stating, “I just want to enjoy the game. My plan for retirement? If it happens, it will be in a year or two… But I don’t know. I’ll be 40 soon, and I want to enjoy this moment while I still feel motivated. As soon as the motivation is gone, I’ll walk away.”
Portugal’s coach, Roberto Martinez, acknowledged the team’s struggles in the first half but praised their turnaround in the second half. “The first half was very bad for what we wanted to do, we lost focus and got frustrated. But the second half was the best I’ve seen,” Martinez said. He highlighted the improved mentality, intensity, and mutual support that helped Portugal dominate the game.
With this victory, unbeaten Portugal leads their group with 13 points, six points ahead of Croatia. Poland, who lost to Scotland 1-0, will host Scotland on the final matchday, while Portugal travels to Croatia.
