'League he plays in makes it possible' - Cristiano Ronaldo told bid for 1,000 goals may rest on big Saudi Pro League future call as record-breaking Al-Nassr contract is mooted

The Portuguese superstar has been running down the final year of his contract at Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr. There had been talk of the five-time Ballon d’or winner considering another new challenge, having previously spent time with Sporting, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus.

He is, however, said to be on the verge of signing a record-breaking 12-month deal in the Middle East. Remaining in Riyadh, where he has found the target on 81 occasions through 90 appearances, will aid his quest to reach four figures on the goal front.

Former United team-mate Tomasz Kuszczak admits as much, with the Polish goalkeeper - speaking in association with casinon utan svensk licens - telling GOAL when asked if Ronaldo will reach 1,000 strikes: "It’s all possible. It’s a lot of goals to score. It’s nice to still put some targets on yourself. With him, I know him, if that target is hit then he will set another target.

"We can call him one of the best players in the world - the Champions Leagues, the national team cups and goals. It’s possible, why not? He looks fit. He is 39 now. It’s possible. The league he plays in makes it possible. It’s a difficult one because he if he plays for another three years, he is going to need a lot of goals per season."

It remains to be seen how many seasons Ronaldo has left him, as he will turn 40 on February 5. Quizzed on how much longer CR7 can go on for, Kuszczak said: "It all depends. These days, the players keep themselves fitter – people working with the players. That decides how long you can play. It is in his DNA, he is strong and doesn’t have many injuries. He is very professional, which are the basics of him. He has always been very professional.

"There comes a time when your mind is like ‘yeah, I’ll keep doing it’ but obviously the speed of football these days in the top leagues is quite high. It doesn’t matter how well you prepare or how strong you are physically. We see so many young players now that run twice as quick than those that I saw in my career. The intensity in the game. If you reach 40 years at the top level as a player it’s a great achievement. Goalkeepers are different, many keepers pass the age of 40 and can still be good, but we don’t run as much! You body is less exposed.

"It’s difficult these days. It depends on what league you play in as well. If you play in a league that doesn’t require too much intensity and they don’t have too many games in all competitions – like European top teams do, playing 60 games a season – yes, he can play longer. It’s about the manager as well, and the club you play for and what they demand of you and the role in the team. Some players only play offensive and don’t care about the defensive and run less backwards. They can keep going like that."

Ronaldo has never been one to do an awful lot of tracking back, and is not going to change his ways now. He is expected to play on until at least the 2026 World Cup finals – allowing him to grace FIFA’s flagship event for the sixth time – with there no sign of him slowing down any time soon.