Ronaldo spurred on by 1,000 goals and Portugal glory — SkimNews
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- Cristiano Ronaldo said he considered retiring from international duty after the World Cup but chose to continue after conversations with Portugal's president and coach, believing he can still help the national team.
- Ronaldo, who turns 41, has been included in Jorge Jesus' 25-man squad for Portugal's Nations League campaign, which opens against Wales in Lisbon on Thursday, 24 September at Estádio José Alvalade.
- The Al-Nassr forward is 21 goals shy of a stated career milestone of 1,000 goals, and also targets adding a third Nations League title to the two he has already won with Portugal.
- Ronaldo cited helping Portugal's younger squad members — including Fabio Silva, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves and Francisco Conceicao — as a pivotal factor in his decision, joking he will play for another decade.
- Portugal boss Jorge Jesus described Ronaldo as a "symbol of Portugal and the national team" at a Lisbon news conference ahead of the Wales match.
- Ronaldo pushed back against long-running media criticism, saying TV channels have "tried to kill me with a shotgun" but he remains unmoved, adding Portugal is "possibly where I have felt most cared".
- The 2026 World Cup will be Ronaldo's last major tournament, as he confirmed in the summer.
Why it matters: Ronaldo's commitment buys Portugal a marquee striker for one more Nations League window and gives the federation a global promotional asset — the 2026 World Cup will be the final chance to monetize his international career, with the 1,000-goal milestone (21 away) offering a marketing narrative for sponsors including Al-Nassr.
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