"Can see why he wants to play as much" - Scottish star believes Cristiano Ronaldo will not retire anytime soon, reveals reason for belief
Scottish midfielder Ryan Gauld said that Cristiano Ronaldo is nowhere near hanging up his illustrious boots. The 39-year-old star forward netted his 900th career goal in Portugal's UEFA Nations League Round 1 clash against Croatia on September 5.
Speaking about Ronaldo's retirement, Gauld said that the former Real Madrid star will be there for a while (via GOAL):
"Ronaldo doesn't look like he's ready to give up any time soon. As long as there's a chance to play and a chance to score goals, I'm guessing he'll be there."
Gauld, who played for Ronaldo's boyhood club, Sporting CP, also highlighted how much the Portugal captain is admired there:
"I played at Sporting Lisbon, where he started out. He's obviously a hero around those parts. There are murals everywhere and that kind of thing. You won't find anyone saying a bad word about him. So, you can see why he wants to play as much as he can."
Admiring the Al-Nassr striker's form with respect to his age, Gauld said that Ronaldo is an inspiration to all. The 28-year-old midfielder said:
"I think it inspires everyone when you see how good a shape he's in at the age of 39. He's still got the mentality to play at the highest level he can and score goals.
"It definitely proves if you want to play on you totally can if you look after yourself and do the right things. I think, just for football in general, he's someone that everyone would look up to."
Cristiano Ronaldo, who made his senior debut for Portugal in 2003, has recorded 131 goals and 45 assists in 213 appearances for his nation. He's the top scorer and appearance maker in men's international football.
Cristiano Ronaldo on scoring his 900th career goal
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 900th career goal in Portugal's UEFA Nations League 2-1 win against Croatia at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica. Following the match, the 39-year-old striker shared his thoughts on reaching the milestone,(via @TimelineCR7 on X):
"It means a lot. I've wanted to get there for a long time. I knew I would get there ... as I continue to play. It's important to highlight the excellent football performance of both teams. Portugal played very well. We knew how to suffer. We were deserved winners. It was an excellent game."
"900 goals seems like any other milestone, but only I know how hard it is to work every day to score your 900th goal. It's a unique milestone in my career. I don’t break records… they haunt me!," added Ronaldo (via FabrizioRomano on X).
Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to be back in action for Portugal's clash against Scotland in the UEFA Nations League on September 8 before featuring in Al-Nassr's Saudi Pro League clash with Al-Ahli Saudi five days later.
The star forward reportedly intends to reach 1000 career goals for club and country before considering retirement.