15 October 2023 , 20:14
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Cristiano Ronaldo is determined to score 1,000 career goals before he calls time on his storied career.
Ronaldo broke new ground by scoring his 124th and 125th goals for Portugal in their 3-2 win over Slovakia on Friday night. The 38-year-old striker netted from the penalty spot and with a tap-in to give his country victory in the Euro 2024 qualifier, which was his 202nd international appearance.
He is showing no signs of slowing down, despite playing in the Saudi Professional League for Al-Nassr, rather than in a top European competition. The former Manchester United man remains laser-focused on amassing more records and furthering his reputation as one of the greatest players of all time.
Ronaldo now has 857 goals for club and country throughout his entire career – a tally which puts him ahead of anyone else in history. Yet he is not happy with his current achievements – he wants to reach the target set to him by Porto's president Jorge Nuno Pinto.
“He set me the challenge of reaching 1,000 goals,” Ronaldo said following Portugal's win over Slovakia. “It will be quite difficult, but it is to see how I am mentally, my motivation. If, physically, my legs treat me as well as I treat them.”
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He added: “Let's see. Until I reach 1,000 I have to reach 900 first. I believe I will reach it. Now I always think about short-term goals. The target for 900 goals? I'm confident, but for 1,000 goals it's a lot of stone to break.”
Ronaldo has scored 11 goals in 11 games for Al-Nassr this season. He is under contract with the Saudi club until June 2025 and clearly feels he has many more years ahead of him. One of the things keeping him driven is the opportunity of playing for Portugal at Euro 2024 in Germany next year.
Cristiano Ronaldo is still scoring for Al-Nassr (FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images) HAVE YOUR SAY! Will Cristiano Ronaldo reach 1,000 career goals? Comment below.
“I hope to be well by then, but there's still a lot of time left, I hope I don't have any injuries or other problems,” he said. “I hope to play and be in the finals again, but until then there's a lot left, a lot of things at club and national team.”
Portugal’s win over Slovakia on Friday secured their qualification for Euro 2024. They are one of just four teams to have already qualified for the competition, alongside hosts Germany, who automatically qualified, and Belgium and France.
There has recently been suggestions that Ronaldo could extend his contract with Al-Nassr until 2027, when he will be 42. As well as backing the Saudi bid to host the World Cup in 2034, he is understood to be keen to play in the next men's World Cup, which takes place in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026.