Ronaldo: 'I believe in the project, the football, the people, the league'

As if his performances on the pitch didn’t already indicate it, but Cristiano Ronaldo has reiterated his love for life in the Roshn Saudi League - and the Kingdom.

The Al Nassr captain, enjoying his third full season in the top flight, remains one of standout players in the competition, helping fire his club this campaign to the top of the table.

Ronaldo remains also firmly in the hunt for a record-equalling third successive golden boot having netted nine goals in eight matches thus far in 2025-26. As such, he sits only one back from the current leader in the 2025-26 scoring charts, teammate and RSL debutant Joao Felix.

Indeed, Ronaldo’s converted penalty last week in the victory at NEOM Sports Club lifted the Portuguese superstar to 100 goal involvements in the RSL. His record since debuting in the league in January 2023 reads a remarkable 83 goals and 17 assists from 85 appearances.

Such is Ronaldo's affection for both the RSL and Saudi Arabia, in the summer he signed a two-year extension to his Al Nassr contract, which now runs to 2027.

Speaking via video link to the Tourise Summit in Riyadh - the Portugal captain is currently on international duty in his homeland - Ronaldo was asked about his time in the Kingdom.

“Well, everyone knows Cristiano because of football,” he said. “I moved to Saudi three years ago because I believe in a project. I believe in the football. I believe in the people. I believe in the league, that they have a huge potential for the present and for the future.

“As you know, the Saudi league is growing so much the last three years; the passion that the Saudi people have for football, it's crazy. And also, the tourism, which is for me, it's very, very important. If you can see the last years, they grow a lot.

“So I'm helping; I'm part of that. As I say to the many Saudi people, I'm one of them. I'm a Saudi guy and I love to be there.”

Even at 40, Ronaldo continues to rack up records, both with Al Nassr and the Portugal national team. His goal against NEOM SC represented the 953rd of his senior professional career, edging him ever closer to that milestone 1,000 mark.

“Well, my goal on a pitch, it's also the same in my personal life.” Ronaldo said. “It's to make people happy, to make myself happy, and my family, my fans... but also the world.

“Because, I have a lot of fans worldwide. So I have a rule to be - of course, I'm very happy in football - [but] the goal is I try to enjoy the moment.

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“I am 40 years old, so I'm enjoying a lot. In this moment, I still want to carry on because I'm feeling good. My body’s still in a good shape.

“And the performances on the pitch, they speak for themselves. Also in the national team, I score goals, I help the team. I want to win trophies. This is my daily life. I'm really proud for that.”

Ronaldo did, though, concede that next summer’s FIFA World Cup would be his final as a player.

Winner of both the 2016 UEFA European Championship and twice the UEFA Nations League, in 2019 and again this year, he made history at the global finals in 2022 by becoming the first player to score at five different FIFA World Cups.

However, although the 2026 tournament will be his last on the pitch, Ronaldo will no doubt play an important role in promoting the following two: the 2030 tournament, which Portugal will co-host, and the 2034 FIFA World Cup, to be staged in Saudi Arabia.

“For me, it's very important because I'm Portuguese and they're going to organise the World Cup here in Portugal,” Ronaldo said. “But also 2034 will be in Saudi, which as I told you before, I belong to Saudi.

“Right now, it's the countries that I have in my heart. I want to be part of this amazing project, this amazing tournament. And [Saudi Arabia] can count on me because I'm always on their side to help to make football big and big and big, and help the new generations to love this amazing sport.”

Ronaldo spoke, too, about his family’s happiness in Saudi Arabia, citing their shared affinity for the likes of the Red Sea and AlUla.

“I love AlUla and also the Red Sea - I have a house there,” he said. “So it's a place that I feel at peace, that nobody asks my autograph there.

“For me, it's a big victory when nobody asks for anything or a picture or whatever, because I feel at peace, that it is a country that they have beautiful things. People that don't know - they just know maybe Riyadh or Jeddah - but Saudi has many, many, many good places.”

Finally asked about what he wants his legacy to be, Ronaldo replied: “I know I will be in a book as one of the best players ever in football. But, apart from that, I want that people recognise me as an inspiring man, that inspired [someone] to do something.

“As you mentioned in the beginning, that's being professional, being serious, [showing] resilience. For me, it's the basic points to have success in life.

“I want that the young generation look at me and say, ‘This guy is a guy that really wants big things in life; a good man’. This is, for me, the most important.”