🤩 Ronaldo turns 41 amid controversy, still chasing 1000th goal

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.

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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 – 451 goals in 438 games.

After playing for Juventus and returning to United, Cristiano opened the doors to Saudi Arabia, playing for Al-Nassr, and now aims to end his career with the milestone of 1000 official goals.

The star boasts 961 goals for clubs and the national team, and in the current season, he has already scored 18 goals in 22 games for the Saudi club – an average of 0.81 per match.

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

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Considering the calendar and maintaining the current average, Cristiano Ronaldo could reach the thousandth goal still in 2026, either this season or the next.

For Al-Nassr: There are about 14 to 18 games left in the 2025/26 season, including 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 (2019 and 2025)

Total Titles: 35

🏆 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

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

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

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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 suffered a considerable drop in the current season (2025/26), closing at 105 million euros, already accounting for the winter window.

According to the international press, 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.

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According to ESPN, Cristiano Ronaldo's dissatisfaction at Al-Nassr also involves the organizational structure.

The star reportedly demanded that sporting director Simão Coutinho and CEO José Semedo return to their respective positions at the club.

According to the Portuguese newspaper Record, the star is considering moving to Major League Soccer (MLS) or returning to Europe if he leaves Saudi Arabia.

No official offer, however, 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.

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Aiming to play 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 strength due to age, the consensus is clear: Cristiano Ronaldo no longer belongs only to the past or the present: he is immortalized in the history of world football.

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

📸 FAYEZ NURELDINE - AFP or licensors

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