🤩 Cristiano Ronaldo turns 41 amid controversy, still chasing his thousandth

This Thursday, February 5, 2026, marks the 41st birthday of one of the greatest legends in sports history: Cristiano Ronaldo.

More than just a date on the calendar, this milestone reinforces the exceptional longevity of the Portuguese star, who continues to defy time and accumulate records.

Born in Funchal, on the island of Madeira, Portugal, CR7 turned professional at Sporting, shone at Manchester United, and became an absolute legend at Real Madrid – where he became the top scorer in the club's history.

After playing for Juventus and returning to United, Cristiano opened the doors to Saudi Arabia by playing for Al-Nassr and is now looking to end his career with the mark of 1,000 official goals.

The star has scored 961 goals for clubs and the national team, and in the current season, he has already scored 18 in 22 games for Al-Nassr – an average of 0.81 goals per game.

If he maintains this pace in the coming months, he will need about 48 matches to reach the thousandth goal.

Considering the 2026 calendar, and if he does not suffer injuries while maintaining the current average, Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to reach the thousandth goal during the 2026 World Cup or early in the 2026/27 season, in the second half of the year.

• For Al-Nassr: About 14 to 18 games remain between the Saudi League, local cups, and the Asian Champions League.
• For the Portugal National Team: There are preparation friendlies and at least the 3 group stage matches of the World Cup (Group K).

📊 Legend's Numbers

Cristiano reaches 41 years with statistics that seem straight out of a video game:

• Official goals: 961 (only 39 away from the thousandth goal).
• Ballon d'Or: 5 trophies.
• National Team Record: He is the player with the most goals (143) and most matches (226) representing a nation.
• Titles with the National Team: Euro 2016 Champion and Nations League Champion.

🏆 Club Titles

• Sporting (1): Portuguese Super Cup (2002)

• Manchester United (10):

Champions League (1): 2007–08.

FIFA Club World Cup (1): 2008.

Premier League (3): 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09.

FA Cup (1): 2003–04.

English League Cup (2): 2005–06, 2008–09.

FA Community Shield (2): 2007, 2008.

• Real Madrid (16):

Champions League (4): 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18.

FIFA Club World Cup (3): 2014, 2016, 2017.

La Liga (2): 2011–12, 2016–17.

Copa del Rey (2): 2010–11, 2013–14.

UEFA Super Cup (3): 2014, 2016, 2017.

Spanish Super Cup (2): 2012, 2017.

• Juventus (5):

Serie A (2): 2018–19, 2019–20.

Coppa Italia (1): 2020–21.

Italian Super Cup (2): 2018, 2020.

• Al-Nassr (1)

Arab Champions Cup (2023): it is important to note that this tournament is considered a regional friendly competition by FIFA (it does not count towards the official title count of the entity, although it is highly prestigious in the Middle East).

Present and Future

The relationship between Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Nassr is experiencing its most tense moment since the star arrived in Riyadh in December 2022.

The Portuguese star, in a drastic gesture of dissatisfaction, reportedly refused to take the field due to a strong disagreement with the directives imposed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which took majority control of the club in 2023.

The central point of discord is the recent cost-cutting policy of the state entity.

After two years of heavy investments – with 164 million euros spent in 2023/24 and 140.3 million euros in 2024/25 – the budget for reinforcements saw a considerable drop in the current season (2025/26), closing at 105 million euros, already accounting for the winter window.

According to international media, Cristiano Ronaldo believes that Al-Nassr is losing competitive edge and being overshadowed by rival Al-Hilal.

For the number 7, the current level of investment is insufficient to keep the club at the top, which motivated his current stance against the PIF management.

According to ESPN, Cristiano Ronaldo's dissatisfaction at Al-Nassr also involves the organizational structure: the star reportedly demanded that sports director Simão Coutinho and CEO José Semedo return to their respective positions at the club.

Although the forward has attracted interest from Major League Soccer (MLS) franchises and European teams, no official offer has been made so far.

If any club decides to take the Portuguese out of Saudi Arabia, they will need to pay the release clause set at 50 million euros.

A determining factor for the future of the number 7 is his planning for the 2026 World Cup.

With the aim of playing in his sixth World Cup, Cristiano avoids drastic changes that could compromise his preparation.

The Portugal national team, buoyed by the recent Nations League title, is in Group K of the competition and is seen as one of the favorites to advance to the final stages.

If he goes to the World Cup, the tournament will be CR7's last major international stage, offering the chance to end a unique career at the top of the world.

Even with debates about his use in the Portugal national team gaining momentum due to age, the consensus is clear: Cristiano Ronaldo no longer belongs only to the past or present; he is immortalized in the history of world football.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

📸 FAYEZ NURELDINE - AFP or licensors