Ronaldo Says He Will Play ‘A Few More Years,’ Floats Portugal-Only Plan
His wish to represent Portugal exclusively runs into FIFA rules that require an active club contract.
Overview
- Speaking at a Portuguese football gala, the 40-year-old said he intends to continue for a few more years without setting a retirement date.
- He reiterated that, if he could, he would play only for the national team rather than for any club.
- FIFA statutes stipulate that a player must be registered with a club to appear for a national team, making a national-team-only arrangement unworkable.
- Ronaldo remains with Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, with reports of annual earnings above €200 million and a Forbes listing as a billionaire in June 2025.
- His 2025 Portugal return is six goals in six matches, and he is scheduled for World Cup qualifiers in Lisbon on October 11 against Ireland and October 14 against Hungary.