Cristiano Ronaldo will 'want to be No.1' when he retires as former Real Madrid striker says evergreen Portuguese GOAT is not ready for 'last word' just yet

Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal 2025

Cristiano Ronaldo will, much like eternal rival Lionel Messi, want to be "the number one" when the day comes to retire. Former Real Madrid striker Alvaro Negredo admits as much, with Portuguese GOAT CR7 not ready for the "last word" just yet. He still has targets to chase down, with the plan being to compete for World Cup glory in the summer of 2026.

Ronaldo targets: Still plenty left to achieve

Argentine icon Messi has already got his hands on a global crown, helping the Albiceleste to a memorable triumph at Qatar 2022. He is expected to form part of a title defence in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Ronaldo will also be heading to that tournament, with the evergreen frontman set to be 41 by the time that he graces a sixth World Cup finals. He is a European Championship and two-time UEFA Nations League winner with Portugal, but is yet to complete his medal collection.

Negredo admits that Ronaldo will - having shattered records over the course of his remarkable career - want to bow out on top. He is still looking to reach 1,000 career goals, with a two-year contract extension being agreed at Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr that will take him through to 2027.

Many have suggested that CR7 could play on beyond that point, giving him the chance to become a team-mate of eldest son Cristiano Jr, and his appetite for the game shows no sign of waning.

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo World Cup European Championship

Trophy targets: Ronaldo & Messi want to bow out on top

Negredo, who re-signed for Real before moving on again a matter of weeks later in the same summer of 2009 as Ronaldo made his way to the Bernabeu, has told BetVictor: "Retirement is difficult. It's a difficult choice to make. In this case, the amount of goals Cristiano scored is crazy, just like Messi. But a good way to finish your career is by winning a trophy. Knowing Cristiano a bit, I don't think he’s said his last word yet.

"I think the physical aspect still holds him and it's not easy, it's not easy. He is at the height of his life, his career, with his age and it’s a level he continues to maintain.

"They will want to be the number one when they retire. They are players with a desire for victory, a desire to be the best. That’s why they are still being competitive. Maybe people will think that those leagues are less competitive. At 40 years old, one 40 and the other 38, it's not easy for a footballer to endure that age with that level of demand."

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Level of competition: Ronaldo in Saudi and Messi in MLS

Messi has signed a new three-year deal with Inter Miami, having helped them to MLS Cup glory in 2025 and himself to a historic second MVP award, with there no sign of him walking away any time soon either.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is enjoying his stint in the United States, while Ronaldo has thrived since becoming a trendsetter in the Middle East. He has talked up the standard of Saudi football on a regular basis - claiming that it tops MLS and the French top-flight in Ligue 1.

Negredo admits that Ronaldo faces plenty of challenges in Riyadh, but is not convinced that the level of competition matches that in top European divisions. The ex-Sevilla and Manchester City frontman, who spent time in Dubai with Al-Nasr, added: "Playing in Saudi it's difficult because of the humidity and heat. I think those are countries with high humidity. I remember the first days there were crazy, the feeling for the body, being there. At the football level, surely not. The football level is not the same as the defences in Spain, but the climate makes it very difficult to play a 90-minute game."

Cristiano Ronaldo Lionel Messi 2025

Return to roots: Ronaldo & Messi sees emotional moves mooted

Ronaldo has seen a return to his roots at Sporting speculated on, while Newell’s Old Boys retain interest in home-grown hero Messi. Both may decide to bow out in their current surroundings, when lucrative contracts come to a close, with there nothing left for them to prove at the very highest level.