Cristiano Ronaldo has a clear target in mind before he will consider football retirement. The 41-year-old Manchester United legend currently sits on 973 career goals but was unable to add to that tally during Portugal's 1-1 draw with DR Congo in their first World Cup match. Ronaldo has not scored in his last 10 international appearances, although he continues to deliver at club level with Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo's 1,000 Goal Ambition
Ronaldo netted 30 times in 37 matches across all competitions this season and declared his pursuit of the historic landmark last December. Following his recognition as the Best Middle East Player at the Globe Soccer Awards, he said: "It's hard to continue playing, but I am motivated. My passion is high and I want to continue. It doesn't matter where I play, whether in the Middle East or Europe."
He added: "I always enjoy playing football and I want to keep going. You know what my goal is. I want to win trophies and I want to reach that number [1,000 goals] that you all know. I will reach the number for sure, if no injuries."
World Cup Record and Criticism
Ronaldo became just the second player, following Lionel Messi earlier that day, to feature in a record sixth World Cup competition. But unlike Messi, who scored a hat-trick against Algeria, Ronaldo came in for heavy criticism after a disappointing display that saw him waste two opportunities to score.
Thierry Henry accused Ronaldo of prioritising his personal desire to score over the needs of the Portugal side. Speaking on Fox Sports, Henry highlighted a specific decision from Ronaldo that denied Bruno Fernandes a straightforward opportunity on goal. He explained: "The team needs to score, not you need to score. Because he wants to score, he goes into the path of Bruno Fernandes. If he goes into the six-yard box, you've been in that situation, Alexi [Lalas, fellow pundit], you would have had to follow him. Then it would have been a tap-in for Bruno Fernandes."
Pointing to another moment during the match, he added: "Because he wants to score, he goes in the path of the backpass. You see both players and it's easier for you to defend. And that's my thing, the team needs to score, not you."
Upcoming Matches
Portugal face Uzbekistan on Tuesday before a tough group decider against early leaders Colombia on June 28. Ronaldo will be eager to break his international goal drought and help his team advance in the tournament.
