CRISTIANO GOING RON AND RON AND RON

2026 World Cup at 41 is target

- BY KEITH WEBSTER

HE turned 40 last month, has not won the Ballon d'Or in eight years and three years ago decided to hitch his trailer to a retirement plan in the Saudi Pro League.

But if you think Cristiano Ronaldo is ready to throw in the towel, think again.

The Portugal captain has more achievements in mind, the sort of targets that have driven his career at Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al-Nassr over the past 23 years.

Targets like 1,000 career goals and leading out his team at the 2026 World Cup, a tournament where he would hope to become the first player to appear at six World Cups.

Think 1,000 goals sounds farfetched? Combining his club strikes (793) with those for his country (136), he is just 71 short.

As for another World Cup, according to his former Manchester United team-mate Louis Saha, that won't be a problem for a player who will be four months past his 41st birthday.

"Who wouldn't want to see him at the World Cup," Saha told Genting Casino.