Cristiano Ronaldo, the 41-year-old captain of Portugal’s national football team, has expressed confidence in his continued contributions as the team embarks on a new chapter under head coach Jorge Jesus. Speaking on Wednesday at the Portugal Football Summit ahead of their UEFA Nations League match against Wales, Ronaldo reflected on his career and future ambitions, emphasizing his readiness to keep playing at the highest level.

Ronaldo, who has scored 979 career goals—833 at club level and 146 for Portugal—is approaching a personal milestone of 1,000 goals, a target he has openly pursued. Addressing the dual goals of reaching 1,000 career goals and helping Portugal win the Nations League, the forward said he aimed to accomplish both, describing scoring his 1,000th goal for the national team as “the icing on the cake” of his football journey.

“This is a new era with manager Jorge Jesus, who we all know well,” Ronaldo said, expressing optimism for the future under the new head coach. Jesus took over from Roberto Martinez following Portugal’s earlier exit from the World Cup in the round of 16, where they were defeated by eventual champions Spain.

Despite his pursuit of the scoring milestone, Ronaldo denied being obsessed with it. “I’ve already admitted that I want to get there, and I will get there. An obsession? No,” he said. “The rest is about enjoying it, enjoying every day.” The veteran striker acknowledged he had contemplated his international future after the World Cup disappointment but credited discussions with the Portuguese Football Association and Jorge Jesus for persuading him to continue representing the national team.

“They count on me. I still believe that I’m able to help the national team,” Ronaldo said. He stressed the importance of contributing on the pitch by scoring and helping the team win games. Ronaldo also made clear that if the coach no longer required his presence or if he stopped being effective, he would step aside willingly. “If the manager doesn’t count on me, I can leave today—no problem at all,” he added.

When asked about retirement, Ronaldo refrained from setting a timeline and emphasized living in the moment, an outlook he has adopted in recent years. “I learnt something from my late 30s onwards, which is to live in the moment, don’t think about tomorrow,” he said.

As Portugal prepares to face Wales in the Nations League under Jorge Jesus’ leadership, Ronaldo’s experience and goal-scoring prowess remain central to the team’s ambitions moving forward.