'Phenomenal' Cristiano Ronaldo tipped to play beyond 42 as former Man Utd team-mate reveals two major goals Portugal superstar wants to achieve before retiring

Ronaldo has lost none of his appetite for the game, with stunning individual standards being maintained in the Middle East. He has plundered 105 goals for Al-Nassr through 118 appearances, collecting back-to-back Golden Boots. Tangible success has been in short supply, but the intention is to change that in 2025-26.

Ronaldo has the likes of Sadio Mane and Joao Felix alongside him in Riyadh, with an unbeaten start being made to the Saudi Pro League season - allowing Jorge Jesus’ side to sit two points clear at the summit through five matches. CR7 is determined to make further additions to his glittering medal collection.

He is not done at international level either, with the expectation being that he will grace the next World Cup finals in 2026. CR7 already has 225 caps and 143 goals for Portugal, but retirement with club or country is not something that he is willing to consider any time soon.

Ronaldo has made no secret of the fact that he wants to reach 1,000 career goals in competitive action - with the history books being rewritten along the way - while playing alongside his son Cristiano Jr remains a possibility as the 15-year-old continues to make his own impressive progress in the youth ranks of Al-Nassr and Portugal.

Simpson believes that Ronaldo will want to tick both of those boxes before giving any thought to a hanging up of record-shattering boots. As long as he steers clear of injury, then there is no reason why CR7 cannot continue towards his mid-40s.

When asked if such an achievement is possible, Simpson - speaking courtesy of Fruity Slots, which recommends UKGC-licensed online casinos - told GOAL: “I don’t think you can write him off. As long as he is scoring goals, as long as he doesn’t get any injuries, then it wouldn't surprise me because it’s him. I know he wants 1,000 goals. And I think he wants to play with his son.”

Individual targets are helping to keep Ronaldo coming back for more as the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has achieved just everything it is possible to in professional football. The emotions that would be conjured up when gracing the same time as Cristiano Jr will mean as much to him as any trophy triumph.

Quizzed on whether those challenges - with the likes of LeBron James having played alongside his son in NBA circles - are what keeps Ronaldo motivated, Simpson added: “Playing with your son, that’s probably one of the biggest targets that you can go for once you have won everything. Sharing a pitch with your son must be some feeling. You look at those targets. He does set targets and you look at those - 1,000 goals and play with his son - does he do those and think ‘right, I’ve done it all now’? I don’t know where you go after that. He’s just a phenomenal person, player. What he’s done for the game, it’s unbelievable.”

Ronaldo has previously said of seeing Cristianinho become a team-mate, most likely at club level: “I would like it, I would like it. It's not something that keeps me up at night, but I would like it. We'll see. It's more in his hands than in mine. When I was his age, he is a little bit bigger and stronger. I was smaller. I think he will be bigger than me. Let’s see if he has the hunger. The hunger is the most difficult.”

Ronaldo Sr still has that in abundance, with the all-time great demanding the highest standards of himself. Few could have predicted that he would scale such heights, but the potential is there for him to continue cementing his legacy over several years to come.