It strongly appears that Cristiano Ronaldo (40) is set to leave Al-Nassr, but the Portuguese star doesn’t seem to be thinking about retirement just yet, as revealed in a post on Instagram. The question now is where the story of the goal machine from Madeira, in search of the fountain of eternal youth, will continue after his years in Saudi Arabia.
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"This chapter is finished. The story? That’s still being written," wrote Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday, in a message that instantly echoed around the football world.
Alongside his words, a photo of him in the yellow jersey of Al-Nassr marked the end of a two-and-a-half-year chapter in Saudi Arabia that was as prolific as it was controversial. Since joining the club in January 2023, the Portuguese star scored 93 goals in 105 official matches. Despite the impressive individual stats, his final match where he scored again ended in a 3-2 defeat to Al-Fateh, a result that denied Al-Nassr a spot in next season’s AFC Champions League.
Ronaldo’s Saudi adventure, reportedly worth hundreds of millions of euros, ends on a bittersweet note. Al-Nassr finished third in the Saudi Pro League and failed to lift any major silverware during his stay. Their most painful moment came just weeks ago, with a semifinal exit in the AFC Champions League against Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale, featuring Dutch-born Sai van Wermeskerken. Still, Ronaldo walks away with two top scorer awards and another chapter of jaw-dropping stats added to his legendary career.
But for a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, five-time Champions League champion, and 2016 European Champion, ending such a historic career without lifting trophies in Saudi Arabia seems far from satisfying. His cryptic post on Instagram reignited global speculation. Fans, journalists, and club executives alike are now watching closely, wondering where the next chapter of Ronaldo’s story will unfold. Ever since his career took off with a 32-minute cameo for Sporting Portugal against Inter Milan in a Champions League qualifier in 2002, Ronaldo’s journey has never lacked drama, excellence, or headlines.
The possibility of returning to familiar territory has been widely discussed. A return to Manchester United proved to be disappointing, ending in a public fallout with manager Erik ten Hag. What initially promised to be a triumphant homecoming became a fractured relationship that left both sides disillusioned. Given the bitter ending, it’s uncertain whether Ronaldo would consider a similar move back to a former club. Sporting CP, where he grew up and made his professional debut, remains linked with him. Yet Ronaldo himself has previously dismissed the idea of a return, telling Canal 11, "Sporting will always be my club, but I never really considered going back. That has nothing to do with Portuguese football. I just think everything has its time and limit."
Despite his words, the dream persists among fans in Portugal particularly those of Sporting, the newly crowned champions of the Primeira Liga with Dutch defender Jeremiah St. Juste among their ranks. As long as Ronaldo remains unattached, hope will live on. After all, he is the top scorer in the history of the Portuguese national team, and one of the few icons who transcend club loyalty.
Before deciding his club future, Ronaldo is set to lead his country into battle once again. Portugal will compete in the UEFA Nations League Finals in Germany this June, starting with a semifinal clash against the hosts on the 4th. Should they win, they’ll face either Spain or France in the final or play in the third-place playoff. The competition holds fond memories for Ronaldo, who led Portugal to victory in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2019, defeating the Netherlands in the final.
Just weeks after that international commitment, the football world will shift focus to the United States, where the expanded FIFA Club World Cup will take place. Al-Nassr failed to qualify, but FIFA president Gianni Infantino has made it known that he hopes Ronaldo will still be there. In a recent interview with a well-known YouTuber, Infantino said, “There are talks ongoing, so if there’s a club that signs Ronaldo for the Club World Cup… who knows, who knows. That could be fun.”
That hope may not be far-fetched. Several qualified clubs are reportedly interested in signing Ronaldo, at least for the duration of the tournament. Among them is Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr’s fierce rival in Saudi Arabia. Such a move would be explosive not least because Al-Hilal’s first group match is against Real Madrid in Miami. Ronaldo scored 450 goals in 438 matches for the Spanish giants, and facing his former club in the U.S. could be a box-office event like no other.
Beyond Saudi Arabia, Mexican side Monterrey is also said to be exploring a deal. The club currently features Sergio Ramos, Ronaldo’s former teammate at Real Madrid, and will face Inter Milan, River Plate, and Urawa Red Diamonds in the group stage. It would be a fitting platform for Ronaldo, offering high-profile matches and global exposure.
Other potential destinations include North African giants Esperance Tunis and Wydad Casablanca, while Brazilian powerhouses Botafogo, Fluminense, Flamengo, and Palmeiras have all been linked in recent weeks. Each of these clubs will feature in the Club World Cup, and any one of them could benefit enormously from Ronaldo’s presence, both on and off the pitch.
Meanwhile, rumors continue to spread. Some Spanish media outlets claim that Al-Nassr may still be in the running, having presented a renewed contract offer that Ronaldo is said to be considering. If true, it raises questions about whether he truly feels his story with the Saudi club is over, or if his Tuesday post was merely a pause rather than a farewell.
What is clear is that Cristiano Ronaldo is not done. Even at 40, his physical condition, goal-scoring instinct, and relentless ambition keep him at the highest level of the game. Whether the next stop is the United States, Europe, South America, or an emotional return to Portugal, one thing is certain: as he said himself, the story is still being written.
Updated: 12:32, 28 May 2025
