‘Once he gets an idea in his head’ – Why Cristiano Ronaldo will hit ultimate target as 40-year-old Portuguese GOAT is told he is ‘like LeBron James in the NBA’

That is the opinion of former Portugal team-mate Jose Fonte, who has seen at close quarters how driven the five-time Ballon d’Or winner is when it comes to chasing down ultimate targets. Ronaldo believes that he has plenty left to achieve at the highest level despite taking in his 40th birthday.

CR7 is still going strong at Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, while remaining a talismanic presence for his country, and intends to reach 1,000 career goals – breaking more records and rewriting the history books in the process – before any thought is given to hanging up his boots.

Fonte, speaking to BoyleSports about Premier League Betting, said of why his illustrious countryman is destined to reach another notable landmark: “Cristiano Ronaldo will break the 1000 goal barrier. Once he gets an idea in his head he will accomplish it. He has achieved so much that he set out to achieve and I would be very surprised if he doesn’t score at least 1000 goals and even surpass it. He still has all that hunger and sooner or later he will reach 1000 goals and everyone will be talking about it.”

Ronaldo has hinted at playing on for some time yet and Fonte sees no reason for him to retire as, like basketball great James, he still has the passion and hunger to compete. Fonte added: “Cristiano Ronaldo is loving life in Saudi Arabia, he is scoring goals and still has all that hunger to go and score 1000 goals - which he will. Cristiano is doing everything he can to elevate the Saudi league and even the country. The country itself is putting a lot of hope in him, being the poster of the country and to elevate them in all aspects.

“You can see him at boxing events and UFC events, he's trying to be involved in a lot of things and I think he's loving his life there. He's performing, he’s still scoring goals, there are talks over a new contract. He is playing for Portugal at the age of 40 and the only reason it’s not surprising is because it’s Ronaldo. He is the best to ever do it and it’s an inspiration. It’s like LeBron James in the NBA.”

Ronaldo considers himself to be football’s GOAT and will be looking to cement that legacy, alongside eternal rival Lionel Messi, in whatever time he has left. The expectation is that he will be signing a new deal in the Middle East that takes him through to next summer’s World Cup finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.