"Not even with a shotgun." That's Cristiano Ronaldo's answer to anyone still waiting for him to fade away. Standing in front of a packed room at the Portugal Football Summit on Wednesday, the 41-year-old captain looked as unbothered as ever — and made clear he intends to stay that way.
Ronaldo sits on 979 career goals — 833 for clubs, 146 for Portugal — and the 1,000-goal landmark he has long talked about is now just 21 away. When asked whether the Nations League title or four figures mattered more, he grinned. He wants both.
"Reaching 1,000 goals and the national team trying to win this Nations League," he said. "One goal is to achieve both."
A new coach, a familiar face
Portugal's squad gathered ahead of Thursday's Nations League opener against Wales under Jorge Jesus, who replaced Roberto Martinez after a round-of-16 exit to eventual champions Spain at the World Cup. It's a reset for the national team — new ideas, new energy — but with the same man leading the line.
Ronaldo admitted he considered his international future after the World Cup. Talks with the Portuguese FA and Jesus changed his mind. "They count on me," he said. "I still believe I'm able to help the national team." He was equally blunt about the alternative: "If the manager doesn't count on me, I can leave today — no problem at all."
That's not posturing. Ronaldo at this stage of his career operates on mutual utility. He's not staying out of sentimentality. If he stops scoring and stops contributing, he said he'll be the first to pack his bags. At 41, that's a cleaner self-assessment than most players half his age manage.
The 1,000-goal chase
Reaching the milestone in Portugal colours would be, in his words, "the icing on the cake" — the culmination of what he called "a beautiful story." He was careful to say it wouldn't be the end, just a landmark. And he insists the obsession label doesn't fit.
"I've already admitted that I want to get there, and I will get there," he said. "An obsession? No. The rest is about enjoying it, enjoying every day."
Whether that confidence translates to Nations League goals is the actual question. Portugal's odds to win the competition carry weight — they have the squad to compete — but at his age, Ronaldo's output depends heavily on minutes, form, and how Jesus manages his role in the system. Any dip in his scoring rate makes that 1,000-goal timeline stretch considerably.
Still, the man just told a room full of people he dodges bullets with a smile. Betting against him finishing what he started has never been particularly wise.
