Cristiano Ronaldo reveals what he will miss the most when he retires from football

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Cristiano Ronaldo says ‘the adrenaline of football’ is what he will miss the most when the day comes for him to finally hang up his boots.

The veteran forward, 39, has broken record after record during a remarkable 25-year spell in professional football and is widely regarded as one of the finest players in the history of the game.

Across his illustrious career spanning a quarter of a century, Ronaldo has lifted five Ballon d’Or awards and won countless titles at club level, including the Premier League, La Liga and the Champions League.

The Portuguese marvel has also captained his country to Nations League and European Championship glory and shows no sign of slowing down after scoring his 900th and 901st career goals during the recent international break.

His current contract with Al Nassr runs through to 2025 and Ronaldo has previously stated that he will ‘probably’ retire at the Saudi Pro League outfit.

But recent reports indicated Ronaldo was intent on playing through to the 2026 World Cup and the attacker is confident he can still ‘produce something good’ for the foreseeable future.

Asked what he will miss most when he retires on his official YouTube channel, Ronaldo told former Manchester United team-mate Rio Ferdinand: ‘I’m not going to have the adrenaline… or to be nervous, I think I’m going to miss that.

‘Because other parts, I’m in good control. I have good people around me, I have good business, I have good things, a good income.

‘But I think the adrenaline of football is never going to exist more. This is why I’m going a little bit further in football.

‘With 40s you say, “I give everything!”, do you understand? 40 or 41 or 42, it doesn’t matter. You say, “I give my body for 25 years of football, I cannot give more because the age doesn’t allow to go further”, for example.

‘This is why I’m extending my longevity and this is why I take care of myself, keep working, because I know that two or three years more, I still can produce something good.’

Ronaldo expects to feel a little ‘lost’ whenever he decides to call it quits but is ‘excited’ to begin ‘another chapter’ focussing on his many business ventures.

‘Of course I will miss [football],’ the three-time Premier League winner added.

‘Probably I will be a little bit lost but, listen, what am I going to do? You think I’m going to cry? Maybe a little bit because I become more sensitive.

‘I will be a little bit like that but I have other things to worry about, there’s going to be another chapter of my life which is a business part that I’m excited to do.

‘That will be a challenge for me, learning other areas that I really don’t know, being more involved in my business.

‘I’m surrounded by very, very, very good heads which is, for me, the key to having success outside football as well in business, to have people smarter than you.

‘You have to be capable to understand that. I think I’m smart in football but in other areas there are people much smarter than me so you have to be surrounded by them, to learn from them, and you make your own style.’

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