Video: Ronaldo declares himself ‘the greatest in history’, rejects obsession over 1,000 goals
Cristiano Ronaldo
Abdullateef Fowewe
Cristiano Ronaldo has asserted his place as the greatest footballer of all time while expressing frustration that fans and media are more focused on his remaining goals to 1,000 than on his current performances.
Video: Ronaldo declares himself ‘the greatest in history’, rejects obsession over 1,000 goals
In an interview with CNN Portugal on Monday, the 41-year-old Al-Nassr forward said, “People aren’t appreciating what I’m doing right now. They’re more concerned with how many goals left to reach 1,000. I don’t like that. Things have to happen naturally.”
He continued, “I’m the greatest in history. Period. When it comes to scoring goals, the numbers speak for themselves. I’m not going to say I have to reach 1,000 goals. If I get there, fantastic.”
Ronaldo, who reached 980 career goals after scoring for Al-Nassr in a Saudi Pro League match on October 9, sits just 20 strikes short of the landmark that no male footballer has officially achieved.
The Portuguese star has long spoken of the milestone as a target but has repeatedly insisted it should not become an obsession.
The remarks come amid ongoing debate over his legacy relative to rivals such as Lionel Messi, as well as recent turbulence with the Portugal national team.
Ronaldo has been involved in a reported dispute with new coach Jorge Jesus and faced questions about his international future following the 2026 World Cup.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has scored the bulk of his goals across stints at Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid (where he netted a club-record 450), Juventus and now Al-Nassr, while holding the all-time men’s international scoring record for Portugal.
He has previously described himself as the most complete player in history, citing his ability to score with both feet, headers, free-kicks and more.
At an age when most players have long retired, Ronaldo continues to produce at club level in Saudi Arabia and remains within realistic reach of 1,000 goals in the coming months, depending on fitness and opportunities.
