Look out Al Nassr fans Cristiano Ronaldo is still not over with his Mission to Saudi Arabia. Having spent two years in the Middle Eastern province, the Portuguese superstar is eager to stay. Fresh reports suggest that the player is open to a contract extension as he eyes to play in the 2026 edition of the World Cup.
It looks like Ronaldo won’t mind playing beyond his 40s as he seems to have a plan for both the international and domestic front. As per talkSPORT and compiled by @X99i3 on X, the Knights of the Najd may offer their skipper a one-year contract. This would keep him until 2026 in the Gulf country. Interestingly, even Ronaldo is open to the idea as it would help him maintain his fitness for the next installment of the World Cup.
Unfortunately, the dream to lift the Golden Trophy, unlike his arch-rival Lionel Messi, remains incomplete. Also, this stays his final chance to lift the trophy as chances of seeing a 45-year-old Ronaldo play in the 2030 installment are pretty much slim. So it would be very much in character if CR7 would very likely try to win the prestigious silverware before he decides to hang up his boots. Notably, the 39-year-old has a current contract with Al Alami until 2025.
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So far, he hasn’t won any significant trophies with his team. Al Nassr is still vying for the Roshn Saudi League and the AFC Champions League, which they have failed to secure for the second consecutive time under Ronaldo. Fortunately, there is still hope to avoid a trophyless season, as Luis Castro’s team has reached the finals of the King’s Cup of Champions. In fact, his stay for another year would help him etch his name in the history books of Saudi Arabia.
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A contract extension would help Cristiano Ronaldo break more records
Yesterday, during Al Nassr’s 4-2 win in their final match against Al Ittihad, Cristiano Ronaldo’s brace brought his season total to 35 goals. Not only did he become this season’s top scorer, but he also set the league’s all-time record for the most goals scored in a single season. He claimed this title from Al Nassr’s former striker and current Al Ittihad star, Abderrazak Hamdallah, who scored 34 goals during the 2018–19 campaign. Given the rate at which he is scoring, there are more records he can break!
For instance, becoming the Saudi Pro League’s all-time top scorer, a dream that Luis Castro wants Ronaldo to achieve. Majed Abdullah currently holds this prestigious title, with 186 goals in 194 matches over his remarkable 20-year career. Staying for more than two additional years could help Ronaldo become Al Nassr’s all-time top scorer, a record currently held by former player Mohammed Al-Sahlawi, who scored 119 goals in 255 games. Additionally, scoring five goals in a single game and becoming the highest-scoring foreign player are also attainable milestones.
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But all of this would only happen if Cristiano Ronaldo is provided with a new contract. Let’s see when that happens.