Portugal (National Football)

Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored the 899th goal of his professional career on Tuesday for his Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr, says he wants to record 1,000 goals before retiring.

"Soon I will do 900, and after I will beat 1,000... I want to reach 1,000 goals," Ronaldo said on his official YouTube channel in an interview with former England national team star Rio Ferdinand (21:40 mark.)

The Portuguese star, who will turn 40 in February, said he believes he can accomplish the goal by age 41.

"If I [don't] have injuries, this is, for me, it's the most important," Ronaldo said. "I want that. I want that. For me, it's the best mark that I can have in football, is to reach, first, 900 goals.

"After, my challenge is to beat 1,000 goals, with one difference— all the goals that I score, they have video, so I can prove that."

Ronaldo scored goal No. 899 on Tuesday with a free kick during a win over Al Feiha that marked the 64th free-kick goal of his career.

It sounds like Ronaldo intends to score the 101 goals remaining between himself and the quadruple-digit mark for Portugal and for Al-Nassr, where he told Portuguese TV channel NOW on Tuesday he plans to retire.

"I don't know if I will retire soon, in two or three years, but probably I will retire here at Al-Nassr," Ronaldo said (h/t BBC's Sam Drury.)

Ronaldo confirmed in his interview with Ferdinand that he still saw himself as being some distance from retirement.

"The day that I start to feel that I'm not [producing] nothing, listen, I pack my bags and I go away," Ronaldo said. "But it's far from that."

Ronaldo will have the opportunity to score No. 900 when Al-Nassr returns to action on Sept. 13.

Cristiano Ronaldo led the line for Portugal during the 2024 Euros, starting all five games, though he failed to score a single goal in the tournament despite having the most shots of any player (23). It seemed possible it would be his final international appearance for his country, given that he's 39 years old.

But it's possible he isn't done with Portugal just yet, as he hinted Monday on a social media post (h/t ESPN's Adriana Garcia).

"We wanted more. We deserved more. For us. For each one of you. For Portugal," he wrote in regards to the team's quarterfinal loss against France, which went to penalties. "We are grateful for everything you have given us and for everything we have achieved so far. On and off the field, I am sure that this legacy will be honored and will continue to be built. Together."

His potential return may not be met with open arms, however, as his performance at the Euros was widely criticized:

Ronaldo's career with Portugal has been nothing short of brilliant, but all good things eventually end. Perhaps somebody needs to remind him of that fact.

Portugal coach Roberto Martínez was noncommittal when asked about Cristiano Ronaldo's future with the national team following a Euro 2024 quarterfinal loss against France on Friday.

"It's too soon and raw after the match to talk about that and there have been no individual decisions made," Martínez said, per ESPN.

Portugal was defeated in penalties by France, although Ronaldo converted his penalty after narrowly missing a chance to win the contest in extra time.

The five-time Ballon d'Or award-winner has now gone nine games without a goal for Portugal, recording one assist in his five Euro 2024 matches without scoring. It represented the first major international tournament of Ronaldo's career that he did not record a goal.

The 39-year-old confirmed that 2024 would be his last Euro appearance after previously winning the tournament in 2016.

"Without a doubt it's the last Euro [for me], of course it is," Ronaldo said, via ESPN. "But I'm not emotional about that. I'm moved by everything that football entails, by the enthusiasm I have for the game, the enthusiasm I see in the fans, having my family here, people's passion ... it's not about leaving the world of football. What else is there for me to do or win?"

If his legendary career with Portugal does come to an end, his 130 goals still stand as the all-time international record. His next major opportunity to suit up for the national team will be the 2026 FIFA World Cup, when Ronaldo will be 41 years old.

Security blocked a fan from diving at Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo after Wednesday's loss to Georgia at the 2024 European Championship.

Footage posted on social media shows Ronaldo offering a bemused expression after the person took a head-first tumble after being blocked by security.

"We all love a fan that recognizes the big stars and the big icons in their minds," Portugal coach Roberto Martinez coach said. "But you can understand it was a very, very difficult moment. If those intentions are wrong, the players are exposed and we need to be careful with that."

Police have said they do not plan on charging the fan with a crime, as it was out of their jurisdiction. UEFA said additional safety measures will be taken going forward.

Fans previously charged the field to take a selfie with Ronaldo during Saturday's match against Turkey.

Portugal's next game will be Monday against Slovenia in the Round of 16. Ronaldo is looking to capture his second European championship after winning with Portugal in 2016.

Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo is facing a $1 billion class-action lawsuit relating to his promotion of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) issued by Binance, which is the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN).

The lawsuit, which was filed in the Southern District of Florida on Monday, accuses Ronaldo of being "deceptive and unlawful" in his promotion of Binance. The plaintiffs claim that the company's partnership with public figures like Ronaldo "led them into costly and unsafe investments," according to the AP.

"Evidence now reveals that Binance's fraud was only able to reach such heights through the offer and sale of unregistered securities, with the willing help and assistance of some of the wealthiest, powerful and recognized organizations and celebrities across the globe—just like Defendant Ronaldo," the lawsuit reads.

The lawsuit also claims that Ronaldo's promotion of Binance was "incredibly successful" and that the company saw a 500 percent increase in online searches after his NFT collection was announced.

Additionally, the lawsuit claims that Ronaldo should have disclosed how much he was earning through his partnership with Binance because federal law requires celebrities to disclose such information on crypto and other securities.

Ronaldo launched a "CR7" NFT collection with Binance in November 2022 prior to the Qatar World Cup. The collection included seven animated statues showing Ronaldo "from iconic moments in his life, from bicycle-kick goals to his childhood in Portugal," per the AP.

The NFTs ranged from $77 to $10,000.

Ronaldo has continued to promote Binance despite the company being accused of operating as an unregistered securities exchange in a separate lawsuit over the summer. The company was also accused of violating a number of U.S. securities laws in that same lawsuit.

Binance reached a $4 billion settlement last week in relation to that lawsuit. The company's CEO, Changpeng Zhao, also stepped down and pleaded guilty for failure to prevent money laundering on the platform.

Ronaldo promoted Binance as recently as Monday on his social media accounts:

The Portuguese international is currently playing for Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr following a stint with Premier League side Manchester United.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has tallied 15 goals and seven assists in 13 games for Al Nassr this season.

Lionel Messi may have dominated the soccer headlines since his move to the MLS with Inter Miami, but he still fell short in one aspect.

According to Forbes (h/t ESPN), Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest-paid soccer player in the world this year over Messi, Neymar and others.

Ronaldo, who is also ranked by Forbes as the highest-paid athlete in any sport, claimed the top spot with expected total earnings of $260 million. His contract with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr is believed to be worth $200 million. He joined the team in January after previously starring for Manchester United.

Messi ranked second with expected total earnings of $135 million. Still, he has a reason to celebrate, as he is the first MLS player to crack the top 10 since David Beckham in 2012.

The top 10 on Forbes' list of highest-paid footballers looks like this:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo ($260m)
2. Lionel Messi ($135m)
   
3. Neymar ($112m)
   
4. Kylian Mbappé ($110m)
   
5. Karim Benzema ($106m)
   
6. Erling Haaland ($58m)
   
7. Mohamed Salah ($53m)
   
8. Sadio Mané ($52m)
   
9. Kevin De Bruyne ($39m)
   
10. Harry Kane ($36m)
    

Ronaldo will be back in action for Al Nassr on Oct. 21 against Damac. Messi and Inter Miami will take on Charlotte FC on Oct. 18.

Cristiano Ronaldo told reporters on Wednesday that he contemplated retirement after his contentious exit from Manchester United this season.

"It was all in the balance after the World Cup," he said regarding the possibility of retiring after Portugal's stint in the World Cup over the winter. "I reflected with my family, and then we came to the conclusion that it was not time to throw in the towel. I learned a lot from it, and I'm very happy to be back. ... I feel that I still have a lot to give, and I want to keep it going."

Ronaldo, who is currently with Portugal for Euro 2024 qualifiers during the current international break, ended up making the move to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr in January.

But not before he went scorched earth on Manchester United.

In a lengthy interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo threw several Manchester United managers and the team's ownership under the bus. It was what appeared to be the final of several attempts to sabotage his relationship with the club and force a move away from Old Trafford, and the bombshell interview worked, as the club shortly thereafter terminated his contract.

It was believed that Ronaldo had been hoping to secure another season in the Champions League by forcing away from United. But when those clubs didn't come calling, he ultimately settled on a major payday with Al Nassr.

Ronaldo's relationship with Portugal was also complicated after he was benched during the knockout stage of the World Cup. But that apparently is water under the bridge for the 38-year-old forward.

The fact that Fernando Santos—the manager who benched him—parted ways with the country probably helped the healing process. Roberto Martinez is now serving in that role.

"It's a new chapter for everyone, for the players, the staff and the country," Ronaldo told reporters. "We feel good energy. It's a breath of fresh air. I'm not saying that it's better or worse than before, but sometimes in life, changes are positive. There are new ideas, a new mindset. You can notice it. You can feel the change, and that is good for everyone."

Suffice to say, it's been a year of change for Ronaldo at both the club and country level.

Portugal were eliminated from the World Cup on Saturday in a stunning 1-0 quarterfinal loss to Morocco, and veteran forward Cristiano Ronaldo responded to the result in a Facebook post on Sunday.

"I just want you all to know that much has been said, much has been written, much has been speculated, but my dedication to Portugal has not changed, not for a moment," he wrote (via FanNation Futbol). "I was always one fighting for the objective of all and I would never turn my back on my colleagues and my country."

The 37-year-old came off the bench for Portugal's 6-1 round-of-16 win over Switzerland and its loss to Morocco after starting each of the country's three group-stage games.

He scored one goal at the tournament, making him the first player in history to score a goal at five separate World Cups.

"I fought for it," Ronaldo wrote of trying to win a World Cup title. "I fought hard for this dream. In the five appearances I scored in World Cups over 16 years, always by the side of great players and supported by millions of Portuguese, I gave my all. Leave it all out on the field. I never turned my face to the fight and I never gave up on that dream."

Given his age and the fact that Portugal appeared to simply play better for long stretches without him on the pitch, it's fair to question if Ronaldo's international career is winding to a close or if he'll outright call it quits for the national team after Qatar.

There is also uncertainty over his club career after Manchester United terminated his contract ahead of the World Cup following Ronaldo's explosive interview with Piers Morgan. In that interview he blasted the club, the Glazers' ownership and several managers, among others.

It remains to be seen which club will be interested in Ronaldo, a player who is largely limited to being a poacher and an ineffective presser at this point in his career, but one who has become accustomed to large wages.

Reports have suggested that Ronaldo could join Saudi club Al-Nassr on a deal worth €200 million ($210.7 million) per season, though the veteran forward has denied them to this point.

"No, it isn't true," Ronaldo told reporters last week.

So his future, for both club and country, remains in flux.

Portugal national team coach Fernando Santos stands by his decision to keep Cristiano Ronaldo out of the starting lineup despite the team's 1-0 loss to Morocco in the World Cup quarterfinal.

"I don't think so...no regrets," Santos said, per ESPN's Rob Dawson. "I think this was a team which played very well against Switzerland. Cristiano Ronaldo is a great player; he came in when we thought it was necessary, so no regrets."

Ronaldo was subbed into the match in the 51st minute, but the squad was unable to score the equalizer.

The veteran forward had started each of the team's three group-stage matches before being dropped from the starting lineup in the round-of-16 battle against Switzerland. Gonçalo Ramos took Ronaldo's place and scored three goals in that 6-1 win.

After Tuesday's match, Santos explained that it was a tactical decision to keep Ronaldo on the bench.

"They are different players," the coach told reporters. "It was game strategy."

There were ensuing reports Ronaldo planned to leave the team over the roster move, but the Portuguese Football Federation denied the report.

"Cristiano Ronaldo builds up a unique track record every day at the service of the national team and the country, which must be respected and which attests to the unquestionable degree of commitment to the national team," the statement said.

The dominant win over Switzerland caused Santos to use a similar lineup against Morocco with Ronaldo on the bench. The only change came in the midfield with Rúben Neves starting over William Carvalho.

The move backfired as Portugal struggled to create chances. The team controlled 73.3 percent of possession but only got three shots on goal during the match, via WhoScored.com.

Ronaldo tallied just 11 touches and took one shot in 39 minutes.